Contemplating Suicide
by Manga-bird
Summary: When Hatori is ordered to erase Tohru's memories he decides in a moment of self loathing to try and end his own life, and it's up to Tohru and the rest of the Sohmas to show him how much he is wanted and needed by his family.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER - I do not own Fruits Basket or any of its characters

* * *

"Hatori." Akito's soft alluring voice purred. Hatori looked up, the left side of his face obscured by his long dark fringe. He knelt on the floor in the plain, empty room facing the open doors that led to the wintry garden where everything was covered with snow, his white doctor's coat fanning out across the hard wooden floor behind him. Akito lay sprawled by the door in long flowing white robes looking at Hatori with a cruel glint in his eye that Hatori had become accustomed to and also learned to dread. "Ah, Hatori. You would never disobey me would you?" he purred as he stood and walked towards Hatori until he stood in front of him, one hand reaching down and caressing his black tie.

"No." Hatori replied obediently as Akito smirked, tightening his grip on the tie and pulling Hatori closer, the knot tightening painfully around his neck,

"Good, because I have a task for you Hatori…" he replied as he dropped the tie and walked away. Hatori watched, trying to keep the dread from showing in his good eye. "The time has come. Tohru Honda. You shall erase her memory of ever having met the Sohmas." He continued, turning to look at the strain on Hatori's face as he fought against the pain.

"Akito…" he said, not looking up at the head of the family, who was leaning on the wall running a hand through his ebony locks. At the mention of his name he paused, "I beg you to reconsider." Hatori said, knowing what the answer would be.

"Are you questioning me?" Akito asked with a warning in his voice. Hatori bowed down until his forehead touched the floor.

"No Akito. If this is your wish, it shall be done." He replied mechanically. He felt a hand grab his hair and gritted his teeth as Akito yanked his head up roughly, locking his brown eyes to Hatori's amber one for a moment,

"Good. Never question me again." Akito replied as he released Hatori's hair from his death grip. Hatori stayed when he was for what seemed like an eternity until he heard the words he longed to hear, "Leave me now." Akito said dismissively as he turned away. Hatori got to his feet and left, shutting the door behind him. He felt his heart sink as he thought of Tohru, Yuki and Kyo. The three of them were inseparable, how could Akito do this? _How can I do this?_ Hatori wondered as he walked through the long echoing halls of the main house. Once he was at the front door he walked down the steps towards his own house, not even registering the young blonde boy who skipped along at his side, crunching the fresh snow under his feet happily.

"Ha'ri, are you alright?" the small half German boy asked as they reached the door. Hatori didn't answer as he opened the door and went inside, _why? Why do I have to hurt people? Why do I have to do this?_ Hatori thought despairingly as he stood in the hall,

* * *

_Hatori looked down at the young trembling girl in front of him. She can't have been more than seven years old, her brown eyes wide with terror as Hatori lowered his hand to her eyes gently,_

"_Don't worry. You won't feel a thing." He assured, though this didn't offer much comfort to the small brunette, who was quivering. Hatori concentrated as he always did until there was a flash and the girl fell back to the floor unconscious. Hatori heard clapping and looked at the wall to see a very young Akito smiling maliciously,_

"_Well done Hatori, my ice king. Now for the rest." He said smugly as he looked at Hatori's calm expression, but knowing the pain and guilt he felt inside as it ate away at him. A young woman quickly carried the girl away to another room where she could recover from the memory wipe and in the doorway, hidden from Akito's view, he saw Yuki looking at him accusingly with watery violet eyes._

"_Please send the next in." Hatori said tonelessly, ignoring both Akito and Yuki as the next child entered, this one a young boy with light brown hair, who looked around curiously, even smiling at Akito, who smiled back in amusement,_

"_Will this hurt?" the boy asked as he looked up at Hatori, who knelt down and put a comforting smile on his face, though his eyes showed nothing but pain and regret,_

"_Not at all." Hatori replied, his voice almost breaking as he raised his hand again, "Just stay still and you won't feel a thing." He added as a flash lit the room and the small boy fell down to the floor unconscious._

"_Why? Why did you do it Hatori? They were my friends! Why?" a very young Yuki cried as he sat leaning on Hatori's knee as he crouched on the grass by the main house. Hatori, still in his dark school uniform, looked down at the grey hair boy with a heavy weight in his chest._

"_Yuki. You know we cannot allow the secret to become known to outsiders." He replied, leaving out the fact that Akito had demanded that he do it, after all, it wasn't Akito's fault. Rules were rules._

"_But why couldn't we still be friends?" Yuki sobbed. Hatori raised a hand and laid it on the young boys shoulder, but he knew it offered little comfort._

"_Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked the beautiful blonde woman, who sat opposite him in his office at the Sohma estate. She looked at him with large blood shot eyes and a manic grin,_

"_My only regret is that that thing came out of my body." She replied in a mad quivering voice. Hatori glanced towards the doorway, where he saw a very young Momiji peering round the door with large brown eyes that shed tears as Hatori raised his hand and blanked him from the woman's mind._

"_Why?" the small boy asked from the doorway. Hatori looked at him pityingly as he looked at the unconscious woman sadly, "Why couldn't you hold on." He whispered as he buried his face in his hands._

"_Erase his memory of us Hatori. It is your duty as a Sohma." twelve year old Akito ordered as he looked down at Hatori's kneeling form. Hatori bowed and got to his feet, looking at the cowering teen,_

"_No! Please! I beg you!" he cried fearfully as he raised his hands over his head. Hatori knelt down to his level and gently put his hand under the man's raised arms to rest on his forehead,_

"_I am sorry." Hatori whispered before there was a flash and the man was unconscious._

"_Momiji, I told you to be careful." Hatori said as he looked down at the young blonde boy, who looked up at him innocently,_

"_But she won't tell anyone!" he said imploringly, grabbing his lab coat pleadingly as Hatori opened the door to his office where a small girl sat in a middle school uniform, looking at him like a rabbit caught in headlights._

"_You know the rules Momiji." Hatori replied firmly as he walked towards the quivering young girl and placed a hand on her forehead._

"_I-it would have been better…if we had never met." Kana cried as they stood in his office. He felt his heart break again as he saw her tears and raised his hand, placing it over her eyes, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I'm so sorry." She whispered before the flash erased her memories of him and she fell to the floor, where two young maids helped her to her feet and led her away to recover, leaving Hatori in his office with tears streaming down his face as he watched her retreating form, her light brown hair hiding her face as they turned the corner at the end of the hall._

* * *

"Ha'ri? Hey, wake up!" Momiji said cheerfully in a singsong voice as he hopped around Hatori, who was still standing in the hall. He paused at the look on Hatori's face. It was one he had never seen before, full of self-loathing and rage. For as long as he could remember Hatori had held his emotions on the inside, showing only the occasional smile now and then,

"Momiji. Go out." He ordered, his voice low, harsh and quivering as he stepped further into the house and pulled off his white coat roughly, throwing it on the floor with a loud rustle,

"But Ha'ri…you want Shii-chan? Or Ayame-chan?" he asked worriedly as Hatori's hands clenched into fists and started to shake, making the young boy step back fearfully, _what's going on? Why is Ha'ri so scary all of a sudden?_ Momiji wondered almost terrified,

"Just get out." Hatori replied coldly, but the boy made no move to leave, seemingly frozen to the spot in fear. Hatori felt something snap and punched the wall as hard a he could, splintering a picture frame and cutting his hand on the glass, "Get out!" he roared angrily, not feeling anything but his own rage as the boy ran out the door crying in terror. Hatori looked at the blood on his hand, savouring the pain and release from his outburst. _What good am I? All I do is hurt people! I'm useless! After all of the things I've done I don't deserve to live! _He thought as he picked up a vase and threw it at the wall roughly, shattering it into thousands of tiny pieces. Next to go was the coffee table in the living room, which knocked the television onto the floor where it fell apart, littering the floor with wires and screws. He worked his way to the bedroom, where he collapsed on the floor beside his medical bag crying, _how can I do that to Tohru? _He thought.

* * *

"_Look Hatori it's snowing…funny how I'm seeing the first snow of the year with you isn't it?" she added as they stood in the street, her cute face looking up to the sky with a bright smile, her long brown hair tossing in the wind, and while he stood beside her, just watching her innocent joy as the snow fell into her out stretched hands._

"_When snow melts what does it become?" Hatori asked as he stood up from the bench, careful not to slip on the snowy ground. He looked at Tohru, who smiled brightly through her dark brown bangs,_

"_It becomes spring doesn't it?" she replied cheerfully, her smile so bright that Hatori felt his chest warm just a little bit._

"_Ha'ri, I brought you some Valentines Day chocolate." Shigure said brightly as Hatori opened the front door. Hatori closed it roughly with a bang and turned away, listening as it slid open behind him and Shigure sighed, "Alright, it's not from me, it's from Tohru." He replied sheepishly as her entered the office._

"_Oh, Hatori, what do I owe you?" Tohru asked as she sat up in bed, her face slightly red from a fever, almost matching the pink of her pyjamas._

"_Get well soon." Hatori replied with a slight smile as he left her with Momiji and Kisa, the small girl clutching her arm worriedly as her golden eyes looked closely at the girl she had come to see as a sister._

* * *

"I can't do it…I won't do it…and I'm the only one who can do it." He said firmly as he pulled his medical bag onto his lap and searched through it, pushing aside the stethoscope and bandages until he came to a small black case, _if something happens to me, Akito will no longer be able to erase Tohru's memory…and this family will be so much better off with Tohru in it than with me._ He thought as opened the box and examined his small collection of surgical instruments, selecting one of the delicate silver scalpels.

* * *

"Momiji? What's wrong?" Haru asked as the blonde boy ran towards him crying. The taller and older looking boy leaned down and put his arms around his cousin. They were still in the main estate, right by Kagura's house, the lights still on inside, _I had hoped to see if Rin had come back…oh well, Momiji looks like he's in real trouble,_ Haru thought as the blonde boy cried against his chest,

"Haru! Hatori's mad! He's gone mad!" Momiji cried almost unintelligibly, "He just told me to get out and…I'm worried Haru, please come back with me, I'm scared to go alone." He replied tearfully. Haru ruffled his white and black hair as he looked at Momiji's pleading eyes, _I really don't know how much I'm going to be able to do about Hatori…then again I'm the only one around…_he thought, Momiji looking up pleadingly,

"Well, that doesn't sound like Hatori…alright. We'll call Shigure and Ayame when we get there." Haru replied as they ran across the gardens together and up the steps to Hatori's house, Haru's black boots giving him no trouble in the snow with the large black soles. "Hatori?" Haru called as he pulled his long cream coat off and let it fall to the floor, following the path of destruction through the living room and into the bedroom. "Hatori?" he called, unable to see him anywhere. He walked around the bed and looked in the bathroom, "Where did he go?" he wondered as he turned around, feeling his breath catch as he looked down at the unmoving body on the floor and the endless stream of blood flowing from his slit wrists and staining the wooden floorboards, "Shit! Momiji! Call Shigure and Ayame now!" Haru shouted as he pulled a mobile from his pocket and called for an ambulance. Momiji walked in curiously and saw Hatori on the floor, tears streaming down his face as he ran to get the phone. He dialled Shigure with shaking hands and waited fearfully,

"Hello, who is calling?" Yuki's voice asked politely on the other end as he stood in the hall, a physics book tucked securely under his arm as his violet eyes looked into the empty dining room, everyone in their rooms studying, or working in Shigure's case.

"Yuki! I need Shii-chan now!" Momiji cried, his German accent thicker than usual, Yuki holding the phone away from his ear as the younger boy shouted, his expression taking on a more worried tone as he headed down the hall towards Shigure's study near the back garden, the cordless phone in hand,

"Alright, calm down Momiji, what happened?" Yuki asked soothingly on the other end, the background noise changing as Yuki moved through the house, apparently on his way to find Shigure.

"Ha'ri, he-he…" Momiji trailed off as a new bout of sobbing started, Yuki opening the sliding door of the study to find Shigure slowly writing across a mostly blank page, his glasses resting on his nose as he stared at the page, looking up questioningly as Yuki came in with the phone,

"It's Momiji, he sounds really bad; you have to talk to him!" Yuki mumbled seriously as he got closer, Shigure's expression anxious as he took the offered phone and held it to his ear,

"Momiji?" Shigure's voice asked seriously and more than a little worried, the sound music to Momiji's ears as he clutched the receiver to his ear desperately, _Ha'ri's the closest thing I have to a father!_ He thought as tears streamed down his cheeks,

"Shii-chan! You have to come to Ha'ri's, he…he's hurt, badly hurt!" Momiji cried, Shigure gasping sharply, his brown eyes widening as he looked up at Yuki, who looked even more worried as Shigure paled, whatever Momiji was saying certainly wasn't good.

"Alright, we'll be right there. Are you alone?" he asked worriedly as Yuki nodded and ran out of the room, probably to call the others down,

"No, Haru is with me." Momiji replied on the other end, _oh thank god! At least Haru has an ounce of common sense, though I would have preferred an adult to be there,_ Shigure thought as he got to his feet,

"Alright, just stay there." Shigure replied before hanging up. Momiji looked at the phone and started dialling Ayame's shop, going back into the bedroom to see Haru tightly bandaging Hatori's wrists, but suddenly a hand raised up and stopped him, trying to push Haru away,

"Leave it…don't…help…me…" Hatori rasped weakly before his hand dropped away and his eyes closed again.

* * *

"What's wrong with Hatori?" Yuki demanded as Shigure headed for the front door with a pale face, Yuki already in his shoes and jacket as Tohru and Kyo appeared both looking very worried.

"What? Hatori?" Tohru asked; worry etched into her features as Yuki held her coat out for her, Kyo pulling his sneakers on quickly, not even bothering to tie the laces.

"What happened Shigure?" Kyo snapped as he stepped towards the door. Shigure looked at the three faces. One fearful, one worried and one scowling trying to hide the worry. Shigure slipped his shoes on, not changing out of his evening kimono as he grabbed his coat,

"I'll tell you on the way, but I don't know that much myself." He replied, not needing to wait long as the three continued pulling on shoes and coats on in a flurry, all of them recognising the need for haste.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

Haru waited impatiently for the ambulance and was almost disappointed when Shigure appeared with Yuki and others, _Damnit, where the hell is that damn ambulance? They should he here by now!_ He thought angrily. Hatori was still on the floor, but Haru had moved him onto his back and was holding his arms up to try and slow the blood loss, though he wasn't sure if it was actually working or not,

"What have you done you idiot!" Shigure hissed as he leaned down with tear filled eyes to look at his unconscious friend, moving beside Haru and touching Hatori's cold cheek. Tohru stood horrified with her hands over her mouth and nose, tears falling down her cheeks as Momiji clutched her arm comfortingly, needing comfort himself and Yuki laid a hand on her shoulder with sad eyes while Kyo just watched stunned. Tohru looked down at Momiji as he looked up with her, both wishing more than anything that they could embrace each other.

"Tori-san!" Ayame's voice cried from the doorway, his usual carefree attitude gone as he fell to his knees beside Hatori, the blood staining his expensive red velvet coat, his golden eyes wide in horror as he looked at his friend, the light sliver ends of his hair turning red as they dipped in the blood, _why would he do such a thing? He's supposed to be the sensible serious one who keeps everything under control and takes care of people when they get sick or hurt! This isn't meant to happen!_ He thought tearfully,

"Alright, let us through." the paramedics said authoratively as they ran past Tohru, who gently pushed Momiji away as she almost fell into him. Yuki used his hand on her shoulder to steady her as he stepped back to give the medics room to get by, Kyo already standing at the opposite wall out of the way while Shigure gently pulled Ayame to his feet and guided him away from Hatori. The paramedics took Hatori's hands from Haru, congratulating him on his quick thinking as they checked the reddened bandages on his wrists, tying another tight layer over the top, wasting little time as they quickly move Hatori onto a stretcher to carry him out to the waiting ambulance.

"Why did you do this you fool?" Shigure hissed as Ayame followed to go to the hospital with Hatori, Shigure watching him go regretfully, _I wish I could go myself,_ he thought, shifting his gaze to the children, Momiji and Tohru both in tears, Yuki trying his best to comfort Tohru without hugging her, Kyo was glaring at the floor, obviously not wanting to let his worry show and Haru, now that he was on his feet, went to Momiji and pulled him into his arms, knowing how much Hatori meant to the slightly younger boy.

"Come on, I'll…drive you all back to my house. Momiji, grab some clothes, you too Haru if you want to come with us." Shigure said as he walked over, giving a comforting smile to the small blonde boy, "I'm sure Kyo will help you get ready." He added as he shifted his gaze to the orange haired boy, who for once didn't snap or argue as he left the room, Momiji following after him. "Yuki, Tohru, go and wait in the car." Shigure added as he watched Haru leave to go to his house, handing the car keys to Yuki so that he could let himself in.

* * *

"Kyo…" Momiji said quietly as they entered his room, the room covered in pictures, bright colours and bunny toys. Kyo, who was in front of him, looked over his shoulder at the younger boy, who had calmed down but seemed like he could go off at any minute, _come on Momiji, hold it together! You know I'm no good at this stuff!_ Kyo thought as he looked down at Momiji,

"What it is?" Kyo asked as Momiji looked at the wooden floor, his face hidden by his golden hair, but nothing could hide the shaking of the small boy's shoulders,

"What will happen if…Ha'ri dies?" he asked fearfully, Kyo finding himself speechless, it wasn't something he had had to think about, it wasn't something he had wanted to think about either. After a long pause Kyo sat down on the white bed,

"I guess Akito will find another member of the family who's a doctor and let them in on the family secret, if not he'll have to tell a normal doctor about us and have him sworn to secrecy…as for this house I guess they'll close it up or let another member of the family move to the inside, maybe Ayame." Kyo replied with a shrug, Momiji hopping onto the bed beside him and grabbing an old worn once white bunny, holding it tightly to his chest, one of the eyes hanging out, most of the fur missing and even a hole or two in the seams, it was his favourite toy, one that Hatori had given to him, he still remembered that day,

* * *

"_Momiji!" Hatori shouted as the blonde six year old ran down the street laughing, Hatori sighing as the boy stopped ahead with a bright smile, "How man times do I have to tell you not to run off like that? You know you're not supposed to be out of the main complex so behave or I'll take you back." Hatori added as the boy looked at his feet sadly,_

"_Sorry Ha'ri…" he apologised, still a little awkward about living with the older man. Hatori was so serious all the time, but never unkind, his father would never have left him with Hatori if he wasn't kind._

"_Just stay with me, I don't want you running off and getting yourself transformed." Hatori replied quietly, too quiet for the people walking by to hear,_

"_Don't worry Ha'ri, I'll be extra careful!" the blonde replied, the older man smiling with a sigh as the wind rustled his short dark hair. Momiji looked around at the shop, his face lighting up as he saw the row of toys in the window, looking up at Hatori with bright hazel eyes, "Ha'ri! Ha'ri! Can I look in here? Please pretty please?" Momiji asked pleadingly, Hatori looking at the toys with a sigh,_

"_Alright, but remember, stay at my side!" he emphasised as he opened the door, the young boy nodding before running into the shop, pausing in the centre of the small shop and looking around wide-eyed, his fingers tugging the long sleeves of his white cardigan, "Well? Where to?" Hatori asked as he walked to the boy's side. Momiji peered around until he saw a big white bunny on a shelf, the eyes a dark hazel like his own, the floppy ears hanging at its shoulders. He hurried to the shelf and reached up, but found the shelf out of his reach as he stood on tiptoe._

"_It's too high…" he said to himself as he looked up, Hatori's arm reaching above his head to get the bunny down, handing it to Momiji, who looked at it wide-eyed and smiling,_

"_You like that?" Hatori asked as he looked down with a small smile, Momiji surprised at seeing it, it was the first time in the past few weeks that he had seen the usually stern family doctor smile. Momiji nodded with a cute smile as Hatori took the bunny from him and went to the counter, paying the young woman before handing the bunny back to Momiji,_

"_Ha'ri, thank you!" Momiji exclaimed as he followed the older man out of the shop and back into the streets. Hatori looked down at the small boy at his side,_

"_Consider it a welcome home present." Hatori replied, Momiji smiling as he looked at the bunny, happy that he now had a home, a home he knew he wouldn't be forced from, a home with someone who would look after and care for him, a stable home…_

* * *

"I'm scared Kyo! What will I do if Ha'ri dies? I've lived with him for most of my life! He's more than just a guardian; he's like a father to me! I don't want to lose my family again!" Momiji cried as he held the bunny to his chest, his tears running down his cheeks, dripping off his chin onto the sleeves of his jacket, _damn! I knew it was a bad idea for Shigure to make me do this!_ Kyo thought as he looked awkwardly at the boy,

"Listen Momiji, I know he looked pretty bad just now, but I'm sure Hatori will be fine, he's a tough guy…and if it does come to…you know, I'm sure Shigure will look after you. I can always move in with Shishou so you can have my room." Kyo replied awkwardly, the younger boy peering up at him with blood shot eyes,

"Really?" he asked as he sniffed, tear tracks tracing his cheeks. Kyo gave an assuring smile and nodded,

"Sure, don't worry, I'll make sure you're taken care of." He said confidently, Momiji shifting closer and leaning on Kyo tearfully, Kyo wrapping his arms around the boy with a slight smile, _you know…this giving advice stuff it's…not so bad…_he thought as Momiji cried on his chest, "Bet you never thought you'd need comfort from the cat." Kyo teased, Momiji looking up with a small smile,

"You're right, but thank you." Momiji replied as he wiped his eyes,

"Not a problem, now lets get your clothes, best take as much as possible, you could be staying for a while." Kyo added as he got to his feet, watching as Momiji opened his wardrobe and pulled out a large suitcase, flipping it open and packing his clothes as quickly as he could.

* * *

"Are you alright now?" Yuki asked as he and Tohru sat in the back of Shigure's car, Tohru pulling her coat across her chest in the cold. Yuki had leaned over the front seat and turned the key in the ignition to get the heater going, but the heat wasn't filling the car yet,

"I think so…I just can't believe it, Hatori was the last member of the zodiac I expected to…you know…" she trailed off sadly as she looked out of the window into the darkness, shifting a little closer to Yuki for warmth, the silver haired teen glancing at her, but unable to put his arm around her for obvious reasons, _I really hate being like this!_ He thought as he sighed and leaned on the door,

"Hey." Haru's voice said, Tohru jerking in surprise as the passenger door opened and Haru appeared, reaching over beneath the steering wheel to pop the boot open before he disappeared around the back of the car and put a large backpack inside. Obviously he intended to stay close to Momiji, they were quite close after all, in fact most of the zodiac members were close. Tohru shivered again as the cold air hit her back as Haru closed the boot and went back to climb into the passenger seat, which made sense since he was the largest of the four off them.

"I'm glad it was you Momiji found." Yuki said as Haru strapped himself in, Haru blushing slightly at the compliment,

"Anyone would have been fine." Haru replied, both of them knowing it wasn't true, it would have been far worse if someone from the main house had found Momiji, it would have involved Akito then, and the less time Akito spent near Momiji the better. So far Momiji had been more or less over looked,

"I don't think anyone would have handled the situation better than you did Haru." Tohru said, Haru nodding his thanks as the driver door opened and Shigure popped the boot, putting a smaller backpack in the back before climbing in the front and closing the door,

"I grabbed some of Haa-san's clothes, he'll probably be in the hospital for a while…I'll stop by tomorrow." He decided as he looked in the rear-view mirror to see Kyo carrying a large case while Momiji walked along beside him, apparently a little calmer than he had been, _well done Kyo, _Shigure thought with a small smile as he popped the boot for Kyo, who heaved the case into the boot as Momiji climbed in beside Tohru, trying to shift over for Kyo,

"I guess I should walk, it's not that far." Kyo said as he looked in the back of the car, where Momiji, Tohru and Yuki looked across at him as if he were insane as he stood there in a T-shirt, having not bothered to grab a coat or jumper on the way out,

"Don't be silly Kyo! You'll catch a dea." Shigure began, stopping as soon as he began to say the word, "You'll make yourself ill." He amended, Momiji shifting further into Tohru as Kyo shook his head,

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." He assured as he went to close the door, Momiji's hand stopping him from pulling back and Shigure giving him a pleading look, something that didn't happen very often, in fact Kyo didn't remember ever seeing that look on Shigure's face,

"Get in the car stupid cat, you're letting the warm air out." Yuki said coldly, Kyo blushing and squeezing in beside Momiji, the smaller boy ending up on his lap so that he wasn't squashing Tohru, but Kyo didn't mind, Momiji was smaller than him and wasn't all that heavy. The drive home was a quiet one, Yuki looked out of the window, Tohru sat worrying silently, Momiji fidgeted a little as he thought about Hatori, Kyo dropped off to sleep, Shigure concentrated on the road and Haru looked around realising he had no idea where they were going until Shigure was actually pulling into his driveway. Once they had stopped Momiji pushed the door open and hopped off Kyo's lap as he got out of the car, Kyo slowly opening his eyes and rolling out after him, landing feet first as expected.

"Kyo, I was wondering if you might take Haru in your room night tonight, and Tohru, if you would take Momiji?" Shigure said questioningly as they climbed out of the car, both of them nodding as they headed to the house, Kyo carrying Momiji's heavy case for him. "Alright, tomorrow we'll all go to the hospital to visit, so I want all of you to get a good night's sleep, understood?" Shigure said as he walked inside, putting his backpack down by the door for the morning as the others filed in, Kyo heading up stairs with Momiji's case as Tohru headed to the kitchen,

"Would anyone like a cup of cocoa? Or tea? Coffee?" she asked as she looked over her shoulder, Momiji nodding silently as he followed her into the kitchen, Yuki opting to join them while Haru headed upstairs with his bag,

"I'll have a tea please Tohru." Shigure called as he slipped out of his coat and into his slippers, padding into the back room, where he sat and looked out of the glass window, pulling back the paper panel door to gaze into the snowy garden. _What was he thinking? He knows how much the Sohma family depends on him! What drove him to this?_ He wondered as he looked outside gravely.

"Shigure, your tea." Yuki said as he entered the room and sat at the low table with two cups, raising on to his lips and sipping slowly, the hot liquid burning his tongue a little. Shigure lifted his cup from the table just as Momiji and Tohru walked in and sat at the table with two extra mugs,

"Tohru?" Kyo's voice called,

"In here." Shigure called as he sipped his tea, Kyo sitting down cross legged at the table, accepting the steaming mug that Momiji handed to him, Haru following and taking the other one, sitting at Yuuki's side.

"Your bunny looks like it could use a little repair work." Tohru said kindly as she smiled at Momiji, who clutched his bunny tightly, "Here, let me see." Tohru added as she took the toy and looked at it, finding three holes and the eye that needed sewing. She turned to Kyo to ask for her kit, but found it was already in his hand ready for her to take, _Kyo…he reads me so well sometimes…_she thought as she took the kit with thanks and opened it. It was only a small material folder with needles and some threads inside, luckily she knew she had some white, she had been sewing a button on one of Yuki's shirts just a couple of days ago. Momiji watched as she threaded the needle and went to work on his bunny, Kyo also watching over her shoulder, it always amazed him how deftly she worked with her hands, the sewing so neat and precise, but finished so quickly.

"Momiji, just to put your mind at rest, if anything does happen to Haa-san I'll make sure I find a place close by, don't worry." Shigure said as he sat down, Momiji looking over at Kyo, who cleared his throat for attention,

"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of Momiji moving in here." Kyo said, Shigure looking a little troubled as he gazed at his tea, weighing all the options,

"We really…don't have the space." Shigure said as he thought,

"But I can move out, I'll go stay with Shishou, I'm sure you can work it out with Akito somehow, you always seem to get through to him!" Kyo pointed out, Shigure nodding in agreement, _it is true, I do have a certain sway over him…but he specifically asked me to watch over Kyo, he doesn't trust Shishou…I guess I could convert my office and just work in the living room, this house is getting more full by the year,_ he thought with a sigh,

"Don't worry, I'll sort something out, that is if Momiji wants to stay here." Shigure decided, the blonde boy nodding with wide pleading eyes, Shigure unable to keep back the smile that graced his handsome features as he ran a hand through his short dark hair, "Well, that's settled then." He added, Tohru handing the bunny back to Momiji as she cut the loose ends off the string,

"Thank you Tohru!" Momiji said loudly, his old enthusiasm returning as he looked down at the newly repaired bunny, _I just hope the doctors at the hospital are as good as Tohru,_ he thought as he hugged his bunny tightly, _Ha'ri, please be alright!_


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

Hatori stirred, hearing a lot of voices around him, _but why? I should be dead now! Why am I alive? Why?_ He thought frantically as he slowly forced his eyes open, the world around him a blur for a few moments until his eyes adjusted and he saw a room full of concerned faces. On his right by the window was Momiji, who was clutching at his shirt worriedly, with Tohru standing beside him looking down with a matching expression. On the chair to his left was Ayame, who gave him a small smile as Hatori looked up at him, and by the door were Shigure, Kyo and Yuki. Everyone looked tired, _how long have they been here? How long was I out?_ He wondered as Haru entered and stood beside Tohru with his hands in his pockets.

"What happened?" Hatori asked as he looked at Shigure, who stepped forward with a frown of concern, a glint of hidden fury in his eye as he looked down at the dragon,

"Why don't you tell us?" he countered accusingly, expecting an evasive answer. What he didn't expect, especially in the presence of the younger children, was Hatori's frank reply,

"I slit my wrists, so why am I still breathing?" he asked, his eyes hardening as his self loathing returned, his bandaged wrist held up, his eyes glaring at it as if his gaze could burn straight through the material.

"Ha'ri, what do you mean?" Momiji asked tearfully, jerking Hatori out of his thoughts momentarily as he looked at the young boy, "Why would you?" he demanded, unable to finish his question as he broke down and cried, clutching Hatori's arm tightly as Haru knelt down to comfort him. Hatori turned his attention back to his raised left hand and looked at the neatly bandaged wrist with a hateful frown,

"What are you doing?" Kyo demanded as Hatori clenched his fist and brought his other hand to the bandage. He shifted his gaze to Tohru for a moment, _I can't allow myself to live…they need her._ He thought as he looked at her worried face, her eyes widening as she met his stare, something passing between them in that moment. He roughly tore the bandage away and looked at his wrist, seeing the neat stitches holding the skin together,

"Tori stop!" Ayame shouted as Hatori bit his wrist, ripping the stitches out with a hiss of pain as blood filled his mouth and dripped from his lips as he tried to grab the other bandage, finding himself held down by Ayame and Momiji, who were soon joined by Haru and Shigure as Yuki ran out and called for help, Kyo and Tohru staring on in horror as blood poured down Hatori's arm and stained the sheets, his mouth covered in blood, his eyes wide as he struggled, _he's acting like a mad-man!_ Kyo thought,

"Hatori! Stop! What are you doing you idiot?" Shigure shouted tearfully as he pinned his friend's arms down while Hatori fought relentlessly, trying to break free. Momiji and Haru left Ayame and Shigure to restrain Hatori and moved back as a young nurse entered with a syringe,

"No! Stop! Let me go! Let me…go…" Hatori shouted, his voice lowering and his body relaxing as the nurse injected him, his breaths slowly calming as he lay defeated on the bed. The young nurse checked on his stitches and cleared everyone from the room as she called for the doctor.

* * *

"Shii-chan! What did he mean? He did it to himself, why? Why would he do that?" Momiji cried, Ayame and Shigure exchanging worried and pitying glances before turning back to the young blonde, Shigure kneeling down in his brown suit and handing a handkerchief to the young boy,

"We don't know Momiji, but when he wakes up we'll find out." Shigure soothed as he stroked Momiji's soft curls, the boy still crying into the soft white material he held to his eyes, _what else can I say that could possibly help Momiji?_ Shigure wondered, surprised to see Kyo approaching,

"Hey, calm down kid." The cat said absently as he tapped Momiji's head, the younger boy looking up at Kyo's confident heir and wiping his eyes with a small smile, _I never thought one look from Kyo could do so much…_Shigure marvelled as he got to his feet, Kyo sighing and running a hand through his orange hair as he looked down at the boy awkwardly, "You know…if I were Hatori I'd want to see you smiling, so don't be so sad, he's alive right?" Kyo pointed out, Momiji's smile widening as he nodded,

"Oh Kyonkichi! I never knew you held such words of hope and conviction! It warms my heart to see you offer such comfort and hope!" Ayame declared passionately as he wrapped his arm around Kyo's shoulder, his amber eyes filled with tears as he clenched his fist and looked off into the distance, though there wasn't much of a distance, he was staring at a wall about two feet away,

"Get the hell off me!" Kyo snapped with a blush as he turned away with his hands firmly shoved in his pockets, Haru and Tohru smiling as Kyo stomped towards the hospital gardens, Tohru gasping and hurrying after him,

"Kyo-kun wait! You don't have a jacket!" she called, her feet tapping on the tiles as she ran after him, her foot sliding on a wet section of floor and a small cry escaping her as she fell, gasping as she found herself against Kyo's chest, both of them wide-eyed as Kyo disappeared in a puff of smoke leaving an orange cat and pile of clothes, "Oh no!" Tohru exclaimed as she looked around horrified, but to her great surprise there was no one but their party and a couple of nurses in sight, and the nurses were looking the other way, Yuki talking to them animatedly, _Yuki-kun! You covered for us! Thank you!_ She thought with a smile as she gathered Kyo's clothes, the cat tucked safely beneath the black T-shirt, "Kyo, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to transform you like this! I'm so sorry!" Tohru apologised as she hurried into the ladies toilets and into a disabled cubicle, locking the door as she lowered the cat to the floor,

"Watch where you're running in future!" Kyo replied irritably, his light brown eyes glaring at the wall in embarrassment, Tohru looking at the floor guilty, _Damnit! Don't take it out on Tohru you moron! This is your fault for running to catch her like that! What were you thinking anyway?_ He shouted inwardly, barely even noticing as he turned back to his human form, getting to his feet and facing Tohru, who shrieked and turned her back with a blush, trying not to think about the boy's lightly muscled flesh, his toned chest, his strong arms, his _stop right there!_ She shrieked with a blush,

"Tohru…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" Kyo trailed off as he laid a hand on her shoulder gently, a blush colouring her cheeks as she looked over her shoulder at him, bquickly turning back to the wall as she realised he was still naked,

"K-Kyo-kun, your clothes." She said, Kyo blushing as he looked down at himself, his member hardening as he pulled back from Tohru, _what am I thinking? Jeez I'm turning into a pervert like Shigure!_ He thought as he pulled his clothes on quickly, unable to resist touching Tohru's shoulder once again to turn her round to face him,

"Sorry, it was my fault." he apologised as he headed for the door and opened it, a young woman screaming as he stepped out the door, Tohru hurrying to his side as the dark haired woman glared at them,

"What do you think you're doing? And in a hospital no less! Disgusting!" she scolded harshly as she grabbed Tohru's arm and pulled her out of the toilet, "I'll inform your parents immediately! High school children carrying on in a lavatory like it's some…gah!" she spat, so disgusted she was unable to finish her scentence. Kyo grabbed the wrist holding Tohru,

"Don't you touch her!" he shouted angrily, the women releasing Tohru before battering Kyo with her handbag, the teen fending her off well enough as he got out into the corridor, many people stopping on the way by to watch this strange scene, "Damnit! Stop hitting me!" Kyo shouted as he balled his fists,

"What have you done now stupid cat?" Yuki demanded as he and Haru turned the corner, having heard the commotion, Ayame and Shigure not far behind, the older men bursting into laughter at the scene as Tohru walked out of the toilets,

"Oh, this is too much! Kyo, being battered by a woman, with a handbag!" Shigure roared as he doubled over, tears running down both his and Ayame's cheeks as Kyo shifted his glare to them, his face bright red in embarrassment as he held up his arm to defend himself, bruises appearing where the heavy bag hit his arms, _jeez what has she got in there?_ He wondered as he glared at Yuki,

"Damnit! Don't just stand there!" he shouted, the silver haired boy folding his arms and looking at the wall absently,

"It's not up to me to bail you out of this mess." Yuki replied, Haru nodding in agreement as Tohru hurried forward and tried to stop the woman, stepping in the way of the handbag, feeling it hit her head roughly, "Honda-san!" Yuki cried as he hurried forward, Haru grabbing the young woman and throwing her away from them, the woman quickly picking herself up and hurrying away in outrage,

"I-I'm okay," Tohru insisted as she climbed to her feet slowly rubbing her head, Kyo looking at her worriedly as Yuki looked closely at her head to make sure there was no blood, "Really I'm fine!" Tohru insisted as she smiled and waved her arms insistently, _you'd say that even if you were beaten bloody._ Kyo thought with a sigh as he patted her head gently, the shorter girl looking up at him with a blush,

"Thanks." He said simply,

"Ah! No, it's okay, it was my fault to begin with!" she insisted quickly with a blush,

"What exactly were you doing in the women's bathroom?" Yuki asked accusingly, Kyo blushing as he looked away and Tohru looking embarrassed and awkward,

"Kyo! You have been leading our poor Tohru astray?" Shigure asked dramatically, the orange haired teen balling his fists and glaring at the older man,

"Kyonkichi! I never would have expected it of you! And here I thought you were a gentleman!" Ayame added with a betrayed heir, Yuki sighing and covering his ears as he saw what was coming next, Haru pulling Tohru back to the wall as Kyo shot a glare at the two older men,

"What do you think you're saying? Calling me a pervert! I'm nothing like the two of you, so get your minds out of the gutter!" Kyo shouted, every head in the corridor turning to the commotion, Yuki wincing as the volume of Kyo's shout broke straight through his blocked ears, _he seems to get louder every time, _the rat thought with a sigh, the older men already cowering before Kyo's rage, all of them pausing as a small boyish laugh sounded, Momiji standing behind Shigure and Ayame with his hands covering his mouth,

"Momiji?" Yuki asked uncertainly as tears fell down the boy's cheeks, his body convulsing as ripples of laughter ran through him, Shigure and Ayame smiling gently as Kyo blushed and looked perplexed. Yuki smiled and looked at the confused cat as Tohru and Haru joined in with the laughter, Kyo looking back and forth between them as Tohru approached him,

"Isn't it wonderful Kyo-kun? Momiji had finally cheered up!" she laughed, Kyo's expression softening as he looked at the rabbit, who was still giggling hysterically, his infectious laughter carrying on to Shigure and Ayame, a small smile gracing Kyo's handsome features as he looked back at Tohru,

"Yeah, that's great…I still don't see why though." He added sheepishly as Momiji hurried over and grabbed his arm,

"That was so funny Kyo! I've never seen Ayame-chan and Shii-chan so terrified!" he laughed, the two older men looking sheepish as the young boy mocked them, Kyo smiling and ruffling Momiji's golden hair,

"Yeah, I really had them then didn't I?" He replied with a smile,

"But you still haven't answered the question Kyo, what were you doing in the women's toilets?" Haru asked teasingly, the cat blushing again as he met Tohru's gaze,

"Uh! Um, that is, it's my fault. I slipped on the floor and Kyo caught me, so he transformed and the first place I came to was the women's bathroom! I didn't even think! I'm sorry Kyo-kun!" she apologised as she bowed to him, Kyo blushing and looking away with his hands planted firmly in his pockets,

"You don't have to apologise." He insisted, Tohru looking up at him with a light blush on her cheeks.

"Oh! You're hurt!" Tohru exclaimed as she saw a thin trail of blood running down Kyo's slender arm, the blood coming from a cut near his shoulder where the corner of the woman's handbag had caught his skin. Kyo looked down at the cut and shrugged absently,

"It's just a scratch." He replied, looking down in surprise as he felt a cloth pressed against the cut, Momiji using Shigure's handkerchief to stop the bleeding,

"Momiji! That's my favourite handkerchief!" Shigure winged as the young boy wiped up the blood, the once white cloth now spotted with blood, the young boy looking up guiltily as Ayame swooped down upon Shigure,

"Never fear Gure-san, I shall make you a new handkerchief! And I will embroider it with all the love I hold for you!" he silver haired man declared,

"Aaya! You feelings touch me so!" Shigure replied theatrically with bright shining eyes, Ayame taking Shigure's hand and gazing deep into his eyes,

"Gure-san, you know my love for you is an un-dying flame." Ayame said, his voice thick with longing as the teens looked on in mute disgust,

"Could you two stop messing around?" Yuki asked as he held a hand over his face shamefully, _to think these two are related to me,_ he sighed inwardly, a few of the nurses swooning as the two handsome men flirted mercilessly, _but at lease Momiji has cheered up now, in fact everyone seems a little more at ease now,_ Yuki thought as he looked at the small golden haired boy, who had tied the handkerchief around Kyo's arm.


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

It was a few moments later that the nurse allowed them to re-enter Hatori's room, Momiji hurried to the chair at his guardian's side, his hazel eyes widening as he saw Hatori's arms had been strapped securely to the bed frame in light leather restraints. Shigure stepped to Momiji's side and looked down at him assuringly, the younger boy comforted a little by the older man's apparent confidence, Tohru laying a gentle hand on Momiji's shoulder as she crouched beside the chair. Ayame walked to the opposite side of the bed and stood looking down at Hatori's sleeping form worriedly, his body framed by the light from the window, while Kyo, Haru and Yuki stood leaning on the wall at the end of the bed nervously, Kyo shifting his feet impatiently as Haru spaced out staring at the wall above Hatori's bed and Yuki folded his arms, glaring at Kyo occasionally.

"Will you stop that?" Yuki snapped finally, everyone looking at him in surprise, even Kyo, Yuki never snapped, not unless he had been riled first, he was usually cool and calm no matter what annoyed him. Kyo stopped moving and crossed his legs as he leaned on the wall,

"Yeah, sorry." He apologised as he looked at the floor, surprising everyone even more since Kyo was usually the easiest to wind up, but for once he seemed subdued to the point of docile,

"Uh, thanks…" Yuki replied, his temper gone after the shock of Kyo's apology, _it's a shame…for once I really would have liked to fight and let of some steam…_Yuki thought as he looked at the bed, Hatori still sleeping peacefully for the moment. Tohru looked over at Kyo, who was frowning and obviously itching to move about where as Yuki was standing stock-still and Haru leaned so casually, not even blinking as he gazed at the wall.

"How much longer do you think Ha'ri will be asleep?" Momiji asked as he pulled his feet onto the chair and leaned his head on his knees, not taking his eyes off Hatori for a moment. Tohru got to her feet and leaned on the back of the chair, resting her hand gently on Momiji's shoulder,

"I'm not entirely sure…not much longer I shouldn't think." Shigure replied thoughtfully as he smiled at the younger boy, who didn't look away from Hatori to meet his gaze. Ayame sighed and looked out of the window, his golden eyes worried as he stared off into the distance, his fingers delicately braiding his hair as it rested on his shoulder,

"Would anyone like some tea? Or coffee?" Tohru asked as a heavy silence filled the room, everyone slowly coming out of their thoughts and contemplating the question,

"I'll get a soda." Kyo said as he pushed away from the wall and headed for the door, pausing as Tohru took the money Shigure handed to her,

"A tea for me, milk and two sugars, oh you know now I like it, and Aaya would like a milky coffee with three sugars." Shigure said with a smile as Tohru memorised his instructions, Kyo making a note of them as well in case she forgot, though he knew the pair would drink whatever she brought back anyway, "And Momiji, what would you like?" Shigure asked as he looked down at the golden haired boy,

"Just a lemonade." The boy replied, still not daring to move his gaze from Hatori in case something happened. Tohru smiled and headed over to Yuki and Haru, who were still waiting at the wall,

"I'll have a tea I think Honda-san." Yuki said with a smile as he handed her the coins, Haru adding his to her hand with a far off gaze,

"Same." He said simply as he went back to gazing off into space.

"Come on." Kyo said impatiently from the doorway, holding the door open with his foot as Tohru hurried over to him, both of them leaving quietly, the rest of the room's occupants going back to their own thoughts, _come on Ha'ri! Please wake up!_ Momiji thought as he stared at the unmoving man. At the window Ayame had finished braiding his long hair, but having nothing to tie it with he released it and watched as the silky strands began to unwind, his thoughts vague and mostly unimportant as he waited. Shigure in the mean time was watching Yuki and Haru, amazed at their composure, Yuki hadn't moved an inch since Tohru left, his arms folded once again as he leaned on the wall and looked at the floor, and Haru stared at the opposite wall with his hands in his pockets, and his eyes hadn't blinked once, _which one will blink first?_ He wondered as he watched, the door opening as Tohru and Kyo returned, Yuki blinking first as he looked up, _damn! I was thinking Haru…_Shigure thought, giving Tohru a grateful smile as she handed him his tea, Kyo taking Ayame's and Haru's while Tohru went and handed Yuki his.

"Hey, Momiji." Kyo called as he tossed the lemonade can over, Momiji not even looking up as the can approached his head, "Look out!" Kyo shouted, Momiji looking up just as Shigure's hand intercepted the can an inch from his nose,

"Kyo-kun, be more careful when throwing things." He scolded lightly as he handed the can to a stunned Momiji, who tapped the top of the can to get rid of the fizz before opening it,

"Yeah, sorry kid." Kyo said as he opened his own can and drank some of the fizzy sweet liquid. Rather than moving back to Yuki's side Kyo opted to stay by the window with Ayame, who was very subdued now that they had returned to Hatori's room. In the corridor he and Shigure had acted as they would on any other day, but they were both so silent and contemplative in this room.

"Did anything happen while we were out?" Tohru asked as she stood at Shigure's side and looked up at him,

"Ha'ri!" Momiji cried before Shigure could respond. Tohru turned round as Hatori opened his eyes and made to raise a hand to his head, frowning as his arm stopped about a three foot from his face, barely going past his hip. His arms were strapped so that he couldn't touch his hands together or reach his mouth. He shook his head and looked at the padded strap with a glare, his jaw clenching angrily,

"Get this damn thing off me!" he ordered angrily as he pulled sharply, trying to break the strap, but not succeeding, the leather leaving angry red marks on his arms and wrists,

"No, if we did that you'd try to hurt yourself again." Ayame replied matter-of-factly from his place at the window as he sipped his coffee calmly. Hatori glared up at him, Ayame taken back by the unfamiliar sight. Hatori had glared him at before, but never so harshly,

"Your point being?" Hatori asked, his voice thick with sarcasm, hearing a horrified gasp from Momiji, who looked at him with his big brown tear filled eyes, the tin of lemonade almost slipping from his fingers, Shigure taking it quickly as Momiji threw himself forward on the bed and cried on Hatori's chest,

"What do you mean? You think you're so unimportant that you can just go and die on us?" Kyo shouted, his anger almost matching the dragon's as he glared over Momiji's golden head, secretly feeling bad that he had spoken so heartlessly in front of Momiji, but at least Kisa wasn't there, that was something.

"Stay out of this Kyo! It isn't something a child would understand." Hatori snapped in reply, his long fringe swept back so that both of his dark eyes were visible, a slight scar still visible along the edges of his eye where Akito had thrown a vase at him,

"What's to understand? You're trying to kill yourself for no damn reason!" Kyo replied harshly, his fists balled as he stepped forward, fully intending to knock some sense into him, but luckily for Hatori Ayame put his coffee down and grabbed the hotheaded boy firmly at the waist,

"If only you knew." Hatori replied quietly as he looked at Tohru, who shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, Kyo pausing in his struggles to meet Hatori's eye, quietly beginning to understand, but not really comprehending. Yuki and Haru had watched the exchange with similar feelings to Kyo, both keeping themselves in check, not wanting to add to Hatori's injuries.

"Alright children, I think it's time the adults had a chat, go on, shoo-shoo." Ayame said as he waved them towards the doors, his eyes softening as he looked at a reluctant Momiji, who didn't want to leave Hatori's side, his eyes still teary as he looked up at the snake,

"Go on. I'll call you as soon as we've finished." Shigure assured as he gently steered Momiji to the door with a gentle hand on his shoulder, leaving him with Tohru, who immediately swept him to the side to comfort him, _she always knows just what to do…_he thought with a smile as he closed the door, Kyo glaring at him as he did so.

"Alright. Spill it." Ayame ordered as Shigure returned to the bed, surprising both of the men with his unusual seriousness as he took Momiji's seat and crossed his legs, his amber eyes filled with concern,

"It doesn't matter. Just leave me be." Hatori replied as he turned his face away, his eyes glaring as Shigure put a hand on his cheek and pulled him back to face them, his usual smile gone from his face to be replaced by a look of mild fury,

"That's not an answer Hatori! You owe us an explanation! After all we've been through together, you just expect us to sit back and let you…" he trailed off, his anger quickly turning to tears as he hung his head, his dark eyes closed as the tears dripped onto the sheet of the bed,

"You must think I'm being selfish…maybe, in a way, I am. I've been looking for a way out, for a long time in fact, but I didn't try it…I didn't have a reason to." Hatori replied as Ayame put a firm hand on Shigure's shoulder, his bright gold eyes piercing Hatori's, the dragon laying back and looking up at the plain white ceiling,

"And now you think you do?" Ayame asked suspiciously, Hatori smiling peacefully as if resigned to his chosen fate, which Ayame knew he must have been already to go that far, but to see that expression made his stomach drop,

"No. Now I know I do." Hatori replied. "I have to do this. You may not understand, you may not think it's right, but I know that it is." He added, seeing his two friends glance at each other warily before turning back to him, Ayame looking sad in a way similar to Momiji while Shigure just looked helpless,

"Haa-san, you have been our friend for years, almost our entire lives. Even when Kana…you've never been like this before." Shigure said gently as he looked down with warm eyes at his friend, who looked up at him and sighed, turning his head away again,

"I did…I did think about it back then…I've always thought about it, I just never actually went ahead and did it." Hatori replied, Ayame taking his hand and leaning his cheek against the soft skin, his golden eyes peering up at Hatori softly while Shigure smiled and nodded,

"Of course we knew you felt that why, why do you think we hovered around you so much in the first few weeks after it happened?" Shigure asked as he sat on the edge of the bed, Hatori trying to reach his hand to his face once again, sighing in annoyance as he remembered they were tied down,

"I knew that was why you were there, but I don't understand how you could so that…especially after all I've done to you Ayame…" Hatori trailed off.


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

"_Tori-san, stop! Don't do it!" Ayame cried as Hatori pushed past his longhaired friend into the shop looking for one person in particular. Ayame grabbed the arm of Hatori's dark brown suit and pulled him away from the back room, "Tori please, she's the only one who truly understands me!" Ayame implored, Hatori looking around and lowering his voice,_

"_You heard what Akito said, this is his wish. Are you going to go against his wishes?" Hatori demanded, Ayame looking downcast as he released the dragon's sleeve, his golden eyes dimmer than usual, the infectious smile gone as he looked at the back room,_

"_No." he replied simply, Hatori feeling a pang of guilt he knew would never fully fade as he headed towards the back room, opening the door to see a young girl, perhaps a year or so younger than Ayame, her dark hair up in platted bunches, her dark eyes covered by round glasses, Hatori blushing slightly as he looked down at the short black and white maid outfit she was wearing, his gaze shifting to Ayame, "Ah, my assistant Mine, she likes to dress like this." He insisted awkwardly, his eyes shifting forlornly to Mine, who looked at him in confusion, "This is Hatori, remember I told you you might be seeing him," Ayame reminded darkly,_

"_Ah, Hatori-san! Welcome to our shop, were you looking for an outfit?" she asked nervously as she threaded a needle, a long white gown waiting for her to sew the hem. Ayame took the needle with a guilty smile and put it back in the pincushion, Mine looking between them still confused, "Ayame? What's wrong? No, don't cry!" she exclaimed as Ayame leaned his head on her shoulder, her hand coming up to stroke his cheek as tears fell from his eyes,_

"_Forgive me." Ayame pleaded as he looked up at her, Mine looking at him in complete confusion, unable to tell what he was thinking or remember anything he may have done to up set her, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you from this." He apologised as he rested his hands on her shoulders and looked down at her with a gentle smile,_

"_I…don't understand." Mine said quietly as she looked up at Ayame with a light blush, her gaze shifting to Hatori, who looked at Ayame expectantly, "What's going on?" Mine asked firmly as she looked at Ayame, his eyes shifting from Hatori to Mine, his usual cheerfulness gone and replaced by a sombre persona,_

"_Remember when I said I had to tell the head of my family about you knowing our secret?" Ayame began as he guided Mine to one of the bright sofas in the back room, sitting down beside her, holding her delicate hands in his, the hands that had made almost every suit he owned, the hands that had caressed him gently as he cried with guilt for all the selfish things he had done. Mine nodded in answer to his question, Hatori watching the exchange forlornly, wishing he didn't have to do this to one of his closest friends, "Well, he didn't take it too well, and he wants your memories erased…Hatori is here to suppress your memories so that you don't remember…" Ayame explained sadly, unable to meet Mine's terrified gaze,_

"_But wait! You can't just…do that…" she replied, looking back and forth between Hatori and Ayame, neither of them able to meet her gaze as tears trickled down her cheeks, "How can you be so selfish? You can't just go around messing wit people's lives like this! It isn't right!" she cried as she covered her face with her hands, Hatori moving forwards to carry out his orders as Ayame held up a hand for him to stop,_

"_Mine…I…I'm sorry, I tried! I really tried!" Ayame cried, Mine looking up at him, pulling his head down to her lap gently where she stroked his long silver hair lovingly, her glasses spotted with water from her tears, the water running down the lenses as she lifted her head up, "I-I don't want you to…I want you to stay as you are." Ayame added as he looked up,_

"_Do I have no choice in this at all? It's my mind you're screwing with!" she shouted as she looked at Hatori, who saw more fear than anger in her expression, Ayame looking at Hatori warily as he stepped forward and crouched beside her,_

"_No one has a choice in this, and for the long run it's for the best…I suppose you have a lot of questions you want answering before we start, so…" Hatori said as he got to his feet and sat on the sofa opposite Ayame and Mine, both looking surprised, Mine because Hatori was being so kind and Ayame because he had expected Hatori to just suppress her memories and leave,_

"_So…you're doing this because some guy I don't even know says so?" she asked as she looked at Ayame, who nodded solemnly, "Well, did it cross your mind that this might be considered assault or something? Have you never heard of police and free will?" Mine demanded as she shifted her gaze to Hatori, obviously too caring to send her anger towards Ayame,_

"_That wouldn't work, the Sohmas are a very powerful family with contacts everywhere, the police would do nothing…and in case you were going to suggest skipping the country you wouldn't get very far." Hatori added as he crossed his legs, he had done this so many times, had this conversation so many times, he was getting sick of it._

"_What gives him the right to do this?" Mine asked, Hatori contemplating the question. It was a question he was often asked, but he had never found an answer to that question, and he didn't expect he ever would,_

"_Nothing, nothing gives him the right to do this…he truly is a selfish being," Ayame replied darkly, looking up at Mine with a guilty expression, "But this is all my fault, I should have kept you a secret, kept you safe…I'm sorry I'm such a fool, I just thought that since he never seemed to notice me that he would leave you alone…I'm sorry." Ayame apologised as he looked down, fresh tears falling down his cheeks, Hatori feeling even worse than usual, usually he wasn't erasing the memories of people close to his friends, he had always hoped he would never have to do this,_

"_Um, Ayame, it's okay, I-I'll do it…if it's for you I'll do it without a second thought." Mine replied with a blush as she looked at the golden-eyed man, both of them silently surprised, Mine surprised that she meant it and Ayame surprised that she'd said it,_

"_Mine…you really…" Ayame trailed off, leaning in to press a kiss on her soft lips, lips that he had always wanted to kiss, it's strange to think that he had hugged her, nuzzled her, cried on her, transformed before her, but in their relationship he had never once kissed her, and now he fully regretted it,_

"_I…won't remember this will I?" she said sadly as he cupped her cheek, both of them looking at each other as if for the first and the last time, it was an exchange Hatori had never seen before and found himself torn between never wanting to see it again and wanting to look upon it everyday,_

"_No, you won't, now perhaps I should tell you about what exactly I'm going to suppress…I will suppress everything about Ayame from the time you saw him change." Hatori said, Mine and Ayame tearing their eyes away from each other to look at him, both gripping each others hands tightly,_

"_That will be everything…everything since the time we…" she trailed off, Hatori sighing as he suppressed his guilt against the next thing he was going to say, Ayame knowing the expression well and dreading what was going to come out of his mouth,_

"_I was ordered to suppress everything, but since you had been together since college I thought it a bit excessive, but it would be best if you didn't work together in the same shop…the suppression isn't always permanent, especially if you're living and working in the same environment, you are both sharing the flat above the shop are you not?" he asked, Mine and Ayame nodding as Hatori sat forward and looked at them both seriously, "It would be best if one of you moved out." He added, the pair looking at each other and then at Hatori,_

"_I…can't do that, I won't do that! I will stay right where I am! I'm not having some jumped up arrogant jerk running my life!" Mine replied viciously, Ayame caught between the way his feelings wanted to agree with her but disagree with her at the same time, but one thing was clear to Ayame, he had no intention of cutting himself off from Mine either, his duty to Akito may come first, but to erase Mine's memory was enough for him,_

"_I…want to stay to Tori-san." Ayame said, his eyes pleading with his friend to allow him this discretion, both of them knowing it could land them both in a lot of trouble if Akito found out. Hatori would be in trouble for not telling him and Ayame would be in trouble for choosing to stay with Mine,_

"_Alright…I won't tell, but I'm relying on you to keep it a secret from Akito Ayame." Hatori replied meaningfully, Ayame nodding his agreement, it was the one secret he knew he had to keep locked away forever, the only other person he had to count on for silence was Shigure, which had a certain element of risk considering his relationship with Akito, but Ayame trusted his two friends so he didn't see it as a problem, "I'll begin now." Hatori said as he got to his feet,_

"_Wait!" Mine cried suddenly, "I…might never get to do this again so…" Mine trailed off as she kissed Ayame, her cheeks bright with a blush as she moved her lips against his, slowly reaching up to wrap her arms around his shoulders, his arms pulling her to his chest, his scent filling her senses for an instant before he transformed into a snake and slithered into her clothes, Mine blushing brightly as he appeared at her neck and gave her an almost impish look,_

"_You won't remember it, right?" he joked, Mine smiling with a nod, unable to feel angry or hurt as he looked at her like that, even in his snake form she knew he was hurting too, his body curling gently around her neck as his small silky head nuzzled her ear affectionately, "You know right now, I just with we could stay like this forever." He whispered,_

"_Ayame." Hatori said, the pale yellow snake slithering out of her clothing and down to the floor, Mine looking up warily as Hatori approached her, "Please lie down, don't worry, you won't feel a thing." He assured as Mine slowly moved Ayame's clothes to a neat pile on the floor, lying on the sofa uncomfortably as she looked up at Hatori's dark eyes,_

"_Ayame…" Mine said quietly as Hatori's hand rested over her eyes gently, "I love you." she finished, a flash of light filling the room for a moment before Hatori took his hand away, Mine sleeping peacefully as her mind made the adjustments to her memories. Hatori watched as Ayame turned back, his lean body completely naked as he remained kneeling at her side, tears falling down his cheeks as he leaned forward and rested his head on her chest,_

"_I know…I love you too…" he cried, pushing himself back to look at her peaceful face, knowing things would never be quite the same now, but he still wanted to stay with her for the rest of his life. He lifted his long red velvet coat from the floor and draped it over her gently before pulling on the rest of his clothes, finding himself in a pink shirt and red velvet trousers,_

"_Ayame…I could erase yours too…" Hatori offered quietly, Ayame smiling as he looked away from Mine to his serious friend, who was looking at the rolls of materials guiltily, his dark eyes turning to Ayame as he heard his friends footsteps,_

"_But if I forgot everything there would be no one to keep the memories, and that would be…a terrible crime." Ayame replied with a bright smile, a smile Hatori had missed over the past few days as Akito made his decision, a smile he hadn't thought he'd see again for a long time, "One day…one day she'll be allowed to remember." Ayame added confidently, Hatori heading for the door to leave,_

"_I hope you're right Ayame…I really hope you're right." He replied solemnly as he left, neither of them saying good bye this time, both lost in their own thoughts…_

* * *

"It's true, at the time I was hurt…but then you experienced something so much worse with Kana, at least Mine and I…we're still together, we may be back to hiding our feelings from each other and showing only slight affection, but we still have each other. You lost Kana, you lost her completely, I could never go through that…and you didn't make me, you trusted me Tori…you really are a friend, you proved it to me that day." Ayame countered, Hatori looking stunned as Ayame smiled down at him softly as he got to his feet and went to fetch his coffee,

"I thought I had betrayed you that day…I…don't deserve your friendship after that." Hatori stated as Ayame delighted in drinking the cold sweet coffee, pausing as he looked over his shoulder with a sigh, Hatori looking completely confused as Shigure smiled at him too,

"You don't get rid of friends so easily Haa-san." Shigure replied, Hatori turning to him still looking confused, "Now why don't you tell us what's really going on? This is about Tohru isn't it? Whatever it is, there is no reason for you to do this!" he added at Hatori's silence, _he can't possibly mean that! He doesn't see how much Tohru has changed this family, how much life she breathes into it with every smile she makes…I can't compare to that, I can't help people the way she does, this family needs her, and I can't allow Akito to ruin all that!_ Hatori thought firmly,

"It's hopeless Gure-san, you know how he is at times like this, just wait until he needs a nicotine fix, it will be much easier to get information out of him then." Ayame cut in, Hatori glaring at the longhaired man viciously as Shigure looked thoughtful and nodded in agreement,

"You're right, of course we'll have to put up with that ghastly temper for days before he gets to the desperate begging stage." He replied, Hatori shifting his gaze to Shigure, who looked at him cunningly, "Unless of course you want to tell us now and save us the hassle." He added, Hatori glaring at the bed sheets stubbornly, "Have it your way then." Shigure sighed,

"Gure-san, I think someone's getting a little anxious." Ayame said warmly as he nodded to the door, where Momiji's hazel eyes were peering through the partially open door, Shigure turning with a smile,

"How long have you been there?" he asked, Ayame walking to the door and motioning the small boy inside,

"Oh, he wasn't there long Gure-san, only a few seconds I'm sure." Ayame assured as he ushered Momiji into the seat beside Hatori, who looked away guiltily as the blonde boy looked at him, "Now don't act like that Tori-san, Momiji will think it's his fault…it's not is it?" Ayame asked quickly, both he and Momiji looking horrified,

"Of course not!" Hatori barked quickly, turning and finding himself eye to eye with Momiji, whose hazel eyes were almost overflowing with tears. Hatori moved his arm to hug Momiji, but he couldn't reach out more than a few inches, his hand dropping back to the bed uselessly, "Momiji, this isn't your fault, it could never be your fault." he assured, the young boy reaching out to grip Hatori's arm as Shigure and Ayame took the opportunity to sneak out quietly,

"Then why? Why would you try to leave me like that?" Momiji asked, the tears spilling down his cheeks as he cried clutched Hatori's arm, the older man frustrated as he tried once more to move his arms, frustrated as he found them restrained again, _Damnit I can't do anything like this!_ He thought helplessly, holding Momiji's hand tightly, _this is the best I can do right now_, he thought,

"Momiji, I didn't do it to leave you, if anything I'm doing this to help you…help everyone in our family, but I don't expect you to understand right now." Hatori added as the young boy went to argue, pausing as he looked at Hatori's kind smile, Momiji's grip tightening on Hatori's hand,

"I don't want you to die!" Momiji cried as he bent down and cried on Hatori's arm, the weight of his decision slowly sinking in, _in my haste I didn't sort anything out! How could I be so foolish! I could have left Momiji never knowing why; he could have been sent to anyone in the family, he could have been confined to the main house with Akito! _Hatori thought guiltily as he gently returned the grip on Momiji's hand.


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

"Hey, what's going on?" Kyo demanded as Shigure and Ayame stepped out of the room, the dog motioning for silence as he quietly closed the door. As he turned back he looked at the four faces of the young teens, Kyo scowling with a look between annoyance and worry, Tohru's expression truly anxious, Yuki slightly worried, the worry shown mostly in his large eyes and Haru as usual had a vacant far off expression, but he was paying close attention even if he didn't openly show it.

"He's alright for now, but the next few days will be quite hard for him." Shigure replied simply, he and Ayame sharing a conspiratal look as the teens looked at them in confusion, all but Haru who kept staring into space,

"How come?" Kyo asked as he pushed off the wall he was leaning on, his hands in his pockets casually as he walked towards Shigure so that they didn't make too much noise shouting across the corridors. He stopped beside Tohru and the others, who were gathered around the door,

"Oh, just some withdrawal pangs, nothing to worry about." Shigure waved off, Tohru looking shocked as she looked between the two adults, both of them sharing the same evil glint in their eyes,

"Withdrawal? I didn't know Hatori-san did drugs!" Tohru exclaimed, Shigure and Ayame glancing at each other before bursting into laughter, both of them imagining a spaced out Hatori in brightly coloured loose clothes with long hair, the image too much for them to contain themselves.

"No, oh no Tohru, Hatori doesn't take drugs." Shigure laughed, a pain in his ribs forcing him to double over as tears ran down his cheeks, Ayame catching his breath for a moment,

"He smokes cigarettes quite heavily." Ayame laughed, Tohru looking back and forth between the pair confused, Yuki coming to stand at her side with an assuring smile,

"What they mean is that to get information out of Hatori they are going to starve him of nicotine, meaning Hatori will be in an extremely bad mood for the next few days." Yuki explained, Tohru looking hesitant about the situation, and Yuki knew why. She was such a kind person that she didn't want to see anyone suffering, no matter what the situation was.

"You can't just go torturing people to get information out of them!" Kyo snapped, Shigure shrugging it off while Ayame looked thoughtful,

"Isn't that a little hypocritical Kyonkichi?" the longhaired man asked, Kyo's temper almost boiling over as the snake turned to his brother, _I hate him…I hate him, I hate him, I HATE HIM!_ Kyo thought,

"Kyo-kun?" Tohru's voice broke in,

"What?" Kyo snapped, all eyes turning to him as he sighed and put a hand over his face, Tohru looking subdued as he looked at her through his fingers, lowering his hand with a tired expression, "Sorry Tohru, what is it?" he asked in a softer voice, Tohru blushing as she looked up,

"I-I was just going to say…you were right, what you said about torturing people…is there no other way you can get through to Hatori?" she asked as she turned to Shigure, who sighed and patted her head gently with a kind smile,

"It's alright Tohru, he won't be able to smoke in the hospital anyway." Shigure pointed out, _that's no comfort at all…_Yuki and Kyo thought, glancing at each other and then looking away as each saw their own thoughts reflected in the others eyes. "I just hope Momiji can talk some sense into him…or at least guilt him out." He added thoughtfully, Kyo and Yuki sighing and shaking their heads,

"Do you think Momiji will be alright?" Tohru asked worriedly as she looked at the door,

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be fine, he's with Hatori after all." Ayame replied as he looked at the door softly, thinking back to the time he had first heard that Hatori had taken in the small boy...

* * *

"_Tori-san! What is this I hear? Tell me it isn't true!" Ayame cried theatrically as he burst into Hatori's home office, Hatori sitting behind the desk with a pen in his hand, his glasses resting over his eyes as he looked down at the latest medical report of Akito, flipping it shut as Ayame burst in the shoving it into the draw,_

"_What are you talking about Ayame?" Hatori asked impatiently as he sat back in his chair, pulling his glasses off and wiping them clean as he looked up at his handsome golden eyed friend, who right now seemed extremely bothered about something,_

"_The rabbit boy! Is it true you have taken him in?" Ayame demanded as he threw himself into the chair in front of the doctor's desk, Hatori sighing as he pulled out a packet of cigarettes and lit one, not offering them to Ayame since he knew his friend would refuse,_

"_Yes I have, what of it?" Hatori asked in reply, Ayame's golden eyes widening in surprise, both at the admission and the question, he had never expected the rumours to be true; surely Hatori wouldn't take in a child at his young age,_

"_What do you mean 'what of it?' you're barely out of college! You can't allow yourself to be tied down by a child!" Ayame exclaimed, Hatori giving him a soft smile, a smile that said 'you don't understand' which was true, right now Ayame didn't understand at all,_

"_Ayame, Momiji's mother 'forgot' about him, he can no longer stay with his family, and if I didn't take him who would it have been? No one on the outside, the families on the inside wouldn't want another child to add to their grief, you know how the parents of the cursed children are, bad enough with one monster, but two? You know what it has done to your family, your brother given to Akito for his pleasure as your parents enjoy the rewards of his misery, and you, they don't give you a second thought, you just…are." Hatori replied, Ayame snorting childishly as he glared at the wall, looking back to see that same smile one Hatori's face, the smile that said he didn't understand, but he found that he wanted to,_

"_Ha'ri…" a small voice said quietly at the door, Ayame looking over his shoulder in surprise, brushing his shoulder length hair over his shoulder as he looked at the small blonde boy, who couldn't have been more than six years old. Hatori looked over at the door and smiled at the small boy,_

"_Come in Momiji, you know Ayame I take it." He said as the small boy walked into the room, Ayame hiding a smile as he looked at the curiously dressed child, his clothes pink and white with frills, a lot like a doll might be dressed. Momiji hurried to Hatori and tugged his trouser leg, his big brown eyes looking up at the older man, who pushed his chair back and lifted the boy onto his lap, Ayame freezing as he saw an expression he had never seen before, not even on his own parents, it was an expression of affection, genuine affection,_

"_Ha'ri, will my mother ever remember?" he asked, the scene bothering Ayame greatly for some reason, the expression on Momiji's face reminding him of something…the look of pure need as he looked up at Hatori, who had his arms wrapped around the boy loosely to stop him falling on the floor,_

"_We've been over this so many times now Momiji…she won't remember if she isn't reminded of it, that's why you're staying with me, so that she doesn't relapse." Hatori replied, his expression a mixture of sadness and guilt as he looked at the small boy on his lap, the boy he had taken in without a second thought, the boy who was now entirely his responsibility. Raising a child wasn't something he had given much thought to, but now that he actually had to do it he was finding it a little harder than he had thought, he had originally expected Momiji to be a quiet addition, one that was tucked out of the way, but then he realised otherwise as soon as the boy had moved in and started running around getting under his feet, but strangely he didn't regret it, not a bit._

"_But…I want to go home!" the boy cried, Hatori sighing and pulling the boy into a tighter hug, his shirt getting wet as the boy cried on his shoulder. Ayame watched the exchange curiously and was amazed to see that Hatori actually looked hurt by the boy's words,_

"_I'm sorry you can't go home, I really am, but I promise I'll take care of you…and you'll still see your father." Hatori assured gently, the blonde boy clutching his sleeves tightly as if Hatori would disappear if he let go. Ayame crossed his legs and leaned forward to watch, intrigued by the scene of affection, still trying to remember where he had seen a look so hauntingly needy before,_

"_Will I be able to stay here forever?" Momiji asked as he sat back and looked up at Hatori, who smiled softly as he pulled out his handkerchief to wipe the boys tears gently, his touch soft and gentle,_

"_As long as this is my home it will be yours." Hatori replied, the blonde boy managing a small smile as he looked at the older man,_

"_Will you promise never to leave me?" Momiji asked, Ayame silently thinking how selfish the small boy seemed, asking Hatori to take responsibility for him for the rest of his life, watching as Hatori slowly continued to wipe away Momiji's tears ever so gently,_

"_I swear it, I'll never leave you." he promised, the young boy leaning forward to cling to Hatori with a bright smile, his tears slowly stopping as Hatori held him and rocked him back and forth like a real father, his expression full of warmth as he rubbed the small boy's back gently, Ayame feeling a little jealous of this fatherly affection, this new side to Hatori he had never known._

"_You surprise me Hatori, I never thought I'd see you so…tied down, well, not for many years anyway, if ever." Ayame said flippantly, Hatori smiling as he glanced sideways at Momiji to see that he had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Hatori slowly got to his feet and left the office, Ayame following him to the living room, where Hatori laid Momiji on the dark sofa, his golden curls falling into his eyes,_

"_It surprises me too…what surprises me even more is that I don't regret it, and I don't want him to leave…I guess I've…turned into a parent." Hatori replied as he grabbed his long coat from where he had left it throw over the edge of a chair, covering the sleeping child with it before heading quietly outside, lighting up another cigarette in the cool autumn air,_

"_A parent?" Ayame said in disbelief, Hatori giving him that look again, the look telling him that he didn't understand. Ayame sighed as Hatori breathed in the toxic smoke, his eyes gazing out across the grounds, Kagura's house visible just ahead, the main house almost hidden by the trees and bushed to the right,_

"_One day, when someone reaches out for you and you see that look in their eyes…the look that says they need you more than anyone in the world, that they are depending solely on you, and you choose to help…when you help you'll understand what I'm saying." Hatori replied, glancing at Ayame from the corner of his eye, seeing his friends golden eyes widen slightly, as if a realisation had come to him,_

"_I…I have seen that look before." Ayame confessed, Hatori exhaling another breath of smoke, not looking surprised in the least, both of them sitting on the wooden steps that led up to the deck, Ayame looking truly shameful, "My brother…he reached out for me, he had the same expression as Momiji, the same look of need…and I brushed him off…" Ayame continued, Hatori still not looking surprised,_

"_I know. I was there, on my way to see Yuki." Hatori replied simply, Ayame surprised since he had thought he and Yuki had been alone in the corridor. Ayame hadn't really thought about it at the time, it hadn't seemed important, one minute he had been talking to a maid, the next as he moved to continue his way, he found a small hand had tugged the back of his jacket, he had looked down into those needful violet eyes and just pulled away, abandoning his brother like he was nothing._

"_Suddenly…I feel…" Ayame trailed off as he looked across the leaf covered grounds,_

"_Bad? Ashamed?" Hatori suggested, no blame in his voice or his eyes as he looked at his immature friend, who looked at him with a small smile,_

"_You read me so well…I'm sure I'll get over it." Ayame replied with a shrug as he crossed his legs and sat back, Hatori looking down at him disapprovingly, but not so disapprovingly that Ayame felt bad,_

"_I don't think you will…I think you'll regret not doing anything, and if you don't act soon then it is likely that Yuki will never forgive you or want anything to do with you." Hatori said, his tone obviously suggesting he thought Ayame should do something about his relationship with his brother before it was too late,_

"_I don't even want a little brother." Ayame scoffed as he played with his hair, his thoughts stubbornly insisting that he was happy the way he was, that he didn't want or need a little brother, he didn't want to look out for anyone but himself,_

"_I think you've been around Shigure for too long." Hatori replied, "Though I can't be sure of that, after all he lets Rin call him older brother, and he's free with his affections and advice when it suits him…" he trailed off, Ayame laughing as he lay back on the cool wooden surface, the breeze making him shiver slightly, not wearing his jacket since he had taken it off in the doorway of Hatori's house and left it somewhere around there, he didn't quite remember where though,_

"_I'm not turning into Gure-san, we're already so much alike there's no need for us to merge any further." Ayame joked as he looked at Hatori's back, the dragon leaning back on his hand as he took the cigarette from his mouth with the other hand,_

"_That would be a nightmare." Hatori agreed with a smile, "As for Yuki, I guess you'll learn as you get older." He added as he crushed the hot end of the cigarette between his fingers, standing to go back inside as a young woman in a traditional kimono hurried towards the house,_

"_Hatori-san! Please come quickly! Akito-sama is gravely ill!" the young dark haired woman cried, Hatori nodding as he hurried up the steps with Ayame, going through to his office and grabbing his medical bag, slipping into his white lab coat,_

"_Sorry Ayame I have to go." Hatori apologised as he hurried to the door, freezing as he reached the open door of the living room, the golden haired boy still sleeping peacefully, "Ayame…will you do something for me?" Hatori asked suddenly as he turned to his friend,_

"_Uh, of course." Ayame replied, a little confused as Hatori looked at him so seriously, silently hoping that he didn't want him to go with Hatori to the main house,_

"_Please stay here until I get back, I don't want Momiji to be left alone." He said, Ayame surprised at the request as he looked at the small boy, not really wanting to stay, after all children weren't his strong point, but as he looked back at his friend's earnest expression he couldn't refuse,_

"_Looks like there are still some things about being a parent that you have to think about, I'm not going to be here to baby sit every time you get called to the main house you know." Ayame replied with a sigh, Hatori laying a hand on his shoulder with a smile,_

"_Thank you Ayame." He said, Ayame shrugging with a smile as his friend turned and hurried after the young woman towards the main house, leaving Ayame alone with the rabbit, who stirred slowly and opened his big brown eyes,_

"_Ha'ri?" he said sleeping as he sat up and looked around, pausing as he saw Ayame in the doorway, "Where's Ha'ri?" he asked, Ayame smiling as he entered the room and sat down in Hatori's chair with his legs crossed,_

"_Don't worry, he just got called away to the main house, it seems Akito has over exerted himself again." Ayame replied with a smile, watching as the young rabbit blushed and pulled the coat over his nose, "You like Tori-san's scent don't you?" he observed, the rabbit nodding as he peered at him, "Why?" Ayame asked curiously, he certainly didn't see anything nice about the smoky stale smell of Hatori's coat,_

"_It…it's comforting…it's like a father's smell." The boy replied as he sat up, the blush still on his cheeks as Ayame looked at him with a small laugh,_

"_But you have a father don't you?" Ayame asked, Momiji nodding, his eyes sad as he looked at the floor, "Don't start crying again! Hatori's not here to stop you!" Ayame said suddenly, Momiji looking up with tear filled eyes, laughing as he looked at the expression of mute horror on Ayame's face, which quickly turned to confusion,_

"_Sorry, but…you made me laugh." Momiji replied, Ayame raising an eyebrow, "I just found it funny…the expression on your face…you're funny Ayame-chan." The blonde boy added with a cute smile that made Ayame blush. He had been called an idiot before, a fool, a waste of space, a buffoon, but never had anyone said so earnestly that he was funny,_

"_Uh, thank you…well, back to my question. You still see your true father, and yet Hatori has a father's scent. Do you mean by that that Hatori and your father smell the same?" Ayame asked as he tried to comprehend what the boy was saying, the small boy sitting on the edge of the sofa with the black coat bundled in his arms,_

"_No, it's not that…it's a father's scent because…it's the feeling I get when I smell it…it feels like I'm home and safe, like my father used to before…before my mother…since then he's been distant, he doesn't…want me either." Momiji replied as he looked down, tears beginning to run down his cheeks, "But with Ha'ri…when he looks at me…I can see that he cares, like my father used to…" he cried, Ayame getting to his feet and looking down at the boy awkwardly,_

"_Please stop that." He said, wondering what he was supposed to do, he had never comforted anyone before so he crouched down in front of the boy and wrapped his arms around him comfortingly, feeling the small arms wrap around him. "What do I smell like?" Ayame asked, suddenly very curious._

"_You smell…like a brother." Momiji decided as he leaned his head on Ayame's shoulder, the older man looking down in surprise, his mind suddenly wandering to the small boy he had shrugged off, the big violet eyes, the small hand that reached out. Ayame chuckled darkly as he leaned on the small boy,_

"_You're wrong…I'm nothing like a brother." he replied, the young boy pulling back with a smile, his eyes filled with wisdom beyond his years as he looked Ayame in the eye,_

"_Perhaps not now, but one day you will be." Momiji replied confidently, resting a small hand on Ayame's head and stroking the long silver locks gently, Ayame feeling strangely comforted by his words and actions. The boy reminded him of a very young Hatori in a way, he was far more emotional and energetic, but had the same wisdom, even if it was in the early stages of development,_

"_If you keep talking like that you'll have everyone coming to you with their problems when you're older." Ayame warned with a smile, Momiji laughing lightly as he pulled his feet onto the sofa and crossed his legs,_

"_I don't mind, I like to help people." He replied brightly, Ayame sighing and ruffling the golden hair as he got to his feet,_

"_You're a good kid…I can see why Hatori would want you around." the snake replied as he looked out of the window..._

* * *

"So you think Momiji will be able to talk some sense into him?" Kyo asked, Ayame smiling softly in a daydream, "Hey!" Kyo snapped, Ayame snapping back to himself as Kyo repeated the question,

"Oh I think if anyone can make him reconsider it will be Momiji, but if that fails then there are other ways." Ayame replied, Kyo dreading to think what Ayame's 'other ways' would entail. Shigure sighed and looked at the clock on the wall, it was still fairly early in the morning, and a school day too, _I wonder what Mayu will say about all of the Sohmas in the school and Tohru being absent…then again what will she say about Hatori…perhaps I shouldn't tell her…_he thought, deeply troubled as to how to handle that particular situation, _maybe I'll just write a note to the principle…_he added,

"I'm going outside." Kyo decided as he stretched, everyone once again looking at him as if he were insane, Tohru hurrying to his side hesitantly,

"Um, would you mind if I came?" she asked, Kyo a little surprised by her question, "That is if I'm not intruding, I mean I won't come if you don't want me to." She added quickly, blushing as Kyo took her hand and tugged her along,

"Come on, let's go." He said as they walked down the corridor towards the doors to the gardens, Yuki and Haru sharing a smile as they watched,

"Do you think they'll figure it out one day?" Yuki asked, Haru shrugging in response as Shigure and Ayame continued watching as the couple disappeared into the snowy gardens,

"I don't know, but I hope so." Haru said as he pushed off the wall, _I only wish I knew where Rin is…she hasn't been back to Shishou's place for a few days, so I thought she might be at Kagura's, but I never got a chance to check…_he thought, Yuki looking at him knowingly,

"Why don't you call Rin?" he asked, Haru looking blank and then shocked, "You mean this never crossed your mind before?" Yuki asked in disbelief, sighing as Haru searched his pockets for change, "Here, you can use my phone." Yuki said as he pulled his flip-phone out of his pocket and handed it to Haru, walking down the corridor with him as he tried Rin's mobile,

"Well, I guess it's just us." Shigure said as he walked across to one of the chairs that had been left along the wall, Ayame joining him, "So, what were you so lost in thought over?" the dog asked as he looked across at Ayame, who picked at the sleeve of his red velvet jacket absently as he looked at the wall opposite,

"I was just thinking about the first time I saw Hatori and Momiji together…" Ayame replied, his golden gaze turning to Shigure,

"So that's why you were suddenly so confident about Momiji's abilities to calm Hatori down." Shigure replied with a gentle smile, Ayame nodding in response,

"Well, surely you've seen them together, too." He added, Shigure nodding, _but he wasn't so confident when Momiji first arrived…I should know…_


	7. Chapter 7

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

"_Haa-san?" Shigure called as he walked up the steps to his friend's house, opening the door to see the young doctor pacing the hall, his expression worried and filled with fear and a lack of confidence, "What is this? The cool and collected Hatori falling to pieces over a child?" Shigure teased as he stepped inside and closed the door with a smile, Hatori pausing long enough to glare at his casually dressed friend before continuing his pacing,_

"_What was I thinking Shigure? How could I possibly think I could look after a child?" Hatori demanded as he walked back and forth, Shigure grabbing his friend's shoulders and steering him into the living room, where he pushed Hatori into the armchair and took his usual seat on the sofa,_

"_Now let's talk about this shall we? Momiji will be here soon, you don't want to be jittering like this when he gets here," Shigure reasoned. Hatori nodded as he sat back and looked at the ceiling, "Firstly I think you should know that I have great confidence in you…Dad." Shigure teased, Hatori glaring across at his friend, who sat back as usual and waited for his friend to spill out his problems like a river,_

"_I really don't know if I'm ready for this, I mean…I'll be responsible for everything, his schooling, his diet, his well being, everything! I'm only just out of college Shigure, am I really ready for this?" Hatori asked as he looked across at Shigure, who crossed his legs and looked at the wall thoughtfully, silently praying that they had everything sorted by the time Momiji arrived,_

"_Haa-san, you have been keeping Ayame and me out of trouble for as long as I can remember, Momiji will be no different, it will just mean a little more paper work and a…house mate." Shigure replied, Hatori sighing and hanging his head, both of them knowing that what Shigure had said was a lie and that taking care of Momiji would mean much more than that,_

"_Don't try to simplify it so much Shigure, we both know it will mean a lot of work, and on top of that I'm a doctor, I have to go out sometimes, what will I do then?" he asked uncertainly, Shigure waving it aside as if it didn't matter,_

"_Kagura's mother lives just across from you, leave him there." he replied simply, Hatori nodding at the simplicity of the answer, "Or take him with you." Shigure added off handedly, seeing Hatori's expression darken slightly,_

"_No, I will not take him near Akito, not a chance." Hatori replied darkly, he had seen what Yuki was becoming, a scared little boy who couldn't bare to get close to anyone, filled with self loathing and a need for comfort that no one would offer, he would not allow the same thing to happen to Momiji, Momiji was too cheerful for that,_

"_Okay, fair enough…not that I can blame you after seeing that Yuki boy, he really isn't in good shape is he?" Shigure said casually, Hatori's expression darkening further at the way Shigure spoke about Yuki so off handedly as if he didn't matter,_

"_No, his lungs are very weak…I'm not the senior doctor yet so I don't treat him, but I hear he's not doing well." Hatori replied, silently grateful that Momiji seemed to be in perfect health, it would certainly be a weight off his mind. __**I can't believe I agreed to this! What am I going to do? I don't even have a brother or sister, I have no experience unless you count chasing around after Shigure and Ayame…which I guess comes pretty close…**__Hatori thought as he sat back and looked up at the ceiling,_

"_Let's focus on Momiji shall we. You have all you need to care for him here, a spare room, money provided by his father and Akito, access to food, and you're more than experienced enough in life to give him advice when he needs it…he's six years old, not a baby, he's not completely dependent on you." Shigure assured, watching as Hatori nodded and turned these points over in his head, apparently unable to find any faults in his reasoning._

"_I guess you're right…" Hatori sighed as he leaned over and rested his elbows on his knees as he gazed out of the large window into the autumn grounds of the main estate, a young woman in a plain blue kimono walking by with a tray, coming from Ren's rooms it seemed, no one else lived over that side, not yet anyway, the cat's room was empty for now._

"_And if you need help you know Ayame and I will be here, right?" Shigure added with a smile, Hatori sighing and nodding in reply, __**he's right, I'm not alone…I can do this! I'm sure I can!**__ Hatori thought with growing confidence as he looked up to see a tall brown haired man slowly walking towards his house with two large suitcases and a small golden haired boy at his side. "Hey, don't start getting nervous! Go and greet your guests." Shigure said as he pulled Hatori to his feet and pushed him towards the hall,_

"_I can walk you know." Hatori said as he looked over his shoulder, Shigure smiling sheepishly as he took his hand off his friends back so that he wasn't pushing Hatori down the hall. He paused as there was a knock at the door, looking at it hesitantly,_

"_It won't open itself Haa-san." Shigure prompted warmly as he watched Hatori staring at the door, his expression slightly scared and worried, but at Shigure's words he seemed to rein in his doubts and nodded, taking a deep breath as he reached out and opened the door._

"_Hatori-san, thank you so much for taking in my son." The middle aged man said with a bow, looking down at the young blonde boy with a smile, "Now you behave yourself for Hatori-san Momiji." He ordered, the small boy reaching out with tear filled eyes to grip his father's trouser leg. The older man knelt down and pulled his son into a tight embrace, "You'll be fine…come by the office sometimes to see me okay? And I'll be sure to visit sometimes too." The man assured with a smile as he got to his feet, __**liar.**__ Hatori thought. He knew as he looked into the dark eyes of the man before him that he had no intention of coming to visit, it would be up to Momiji to keep up the contact between them._

"_It's no trouble Sir, would you like to come inside?" Hatori asked as he stepped aside, but the older man waved his hand with a shake of his head, Momiji looking up at him forlornly,_

"_I'm afraid not, I have a meeting in just under an hour…I am sorry to just leave you like this, but it's an important meeting." The man replied smoothly, Hatori nodding and glancing at the six year old boy, __**sure I understand, but I don't think Momiji will see it that way…**__he thought as the blonde boy looked up at him warily, __**I really wish his father was staying, just for a while so that Momiji settles alright…**__he added inwardly,_

"_I see…that is unfortunate. Please leave Momiji to me." Hatori replied with a bow, Momiji's father bowing also as Shigure leaned on the wall in the hallway and watched the exchange, knowing from Hatori's posture that he was beginning to lose confidence,_

"_No, I am sorry for leaving…thank you for your kindness." The father added as he straightened up and smiled down at Momiji, patting his head gently as he turned to leave, "Be a good boy Momiji." He said as he walked down the steps, Momiji watching him go, desperate for a glance, just a glance from his father, but as the tall dark haired figure walked away he didn't turn back, not even once. Momiji jerked and looked over his shoulder as he felt a gentle hand resting on his head,_

"_Come inside, it's cold out here." Hatori said with a smile, the blonde boy looking up at him with tears slowly trickling down his cheeks. Shigure watched with a smile as Hatori hesitated, unsure of what to do, and looked over at him with a questioning look, looking back at the small boy as he found the blonde had wrapped his arms tightly around his leg, sobbing quietly, the knee of his trousers getting damp from his tears, "Hey…it's okay, calm down…" Hatori said comfortingly as he laid a hand on the boy's head,_

"_Come now Momiji, you'll feel better inside." Shigure said as he looked over Hatori's shoulder with a warm smile, the six year old looking up uncertainly as the two older men peered down at him, "I'll grab these cases, Haa-san, why don't you take Momiji inside hm?" Shigure suggested smoothly as he leaned down and hefted the two extremely heavy cases, "On second thought maybe I'll take one at a time." He added sheepishly, leaving one case on the doorstep as he carried the other one into the house and began heaving it up the stairs,_

"_Shall we go inside?" Hatori asked as he looked down at Momiji, who peered up at him before shifting his dark brown eyes to look in the direction that his father had walked off in, Hatori following his gaze a moment before looking back at the boy, "Come on, let's go in." he said again as he held out his hand, Momiji looking up at him and then at his hand before reaching out with his own._

"_You're still out here? Are you trying to catch colds?" Shigure joked as he reappeared in the doorway and grabbed the other case, Momiji blushing as he looked at the floor sadly, Hatori sighing as he gave Shigure a withering look, "Alright, I'm going!" the dog said as he lifted the second case and heaved it inside, __**is he going to speak?**__ Hatori wondered as he looked down at the small boy, __**he was always so happy and boisterous at the New Year dinners, and whenever I saw him in the main complex he was always smiling…I hope he recovers soon…**__he thought as he tugged the boy's hand gently towards the open door of the house_

"_Would you like a drink? Your father sent me some instructions and tips, so I should have something you like." Hatori asked as he led Momiji towards the living room, the small boy looking up and nodding silently, his usual smile still absent as he looked around the neat room. There was an armchair facing the large window, a dark sofa by the door, a low table just in front of it and a television on a stand by the fireplace. "What would you like?" Hatori asked, Momiji blushing as he looked at the floor without giving a reply, "Momiji?" Hatori asked uncertainly as he knelt down in front of the boy, __**I wonder…could it be some sort of mental trauma from the shock of losing his mother and being sent away from the family? That would be a likely assumption…in which case he should calm down and go back to normal once he feels comfortable and secure, until then I'll have to keep things simple…**__Hatori diagnosed as the boy looked at him sadly, "Well…let's see, I have tea?" Hatori suggested, looking at the small boy, who shook his head, "Hot chocolate?" the dragon suggested, again the boy shook his head, "Carrot juice?" Hatori suggested, the younger boy nodding, a smile flickering across Hatori's face as he got to his feet and headed for the kitchen, __**how did I guess he would pick carrot juice?**__ He thought with a small chuckle,_

"_So…how are things going?" Shigure asked as he entered the modest sized and tidy kitchen, his white shirt sleeves rolled up inside the warm house as he leaned on the kitchen counter, Hatori pulling the cupboard open and taking out two glasses,_

"_Not good…it seems that Momiji is suffering from a mental trauma of some sort that's stopping him from talking. I'm quite sure it's because he's just been sent away from his home, not to mention he watched his mother's memory being erased…" Hatori trailed off regretfully, holding up a glass questioningly at Shigure, who nodded and watched the dragon reach up and get another glass before opening the fridge and pulling out a jug of freshly squeezed carrot juice that he had made with his blender earlier._

"_Hatori, don't blame yourself, it was her choice, and as for Momiji, he'll come round." Shigure assured, "I'd prefer orange juice." He added as Hatori tipped out a second glass of carrot juice, the doctor smiling as he put the jug back in the fridge and pulled out a carton of orange juice,_

"_You still hate carrots." Hatori observed as he poured the juice and handed the glass to Shigure, who smiled sheepishly as he took a sip of his orange juice and led the way back to the living room,_

"_Well, yes and no, I can just about stomach them raw, I just don't like them served in any other way." The dog replied as he sat on the sofa beside Momiji, who looked down at the floor as the two adults came in. Hatori handed one of the glasses to Momiji, who took it without a word, "It's polite to say thank you Momiji." Shigure said as he looked across at the boy, who blushed and looked at the floor,_

"_Forget it, it's fine." Hatori cut in as he sat in the armchair, Momiji looking up at him with a hesitant expression, which widened to a small smile as the dragon looked at him softly…_


	8. Chapter 8

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

_I can't believe it's been just over nine years since that day…_Shigure thought as he looked across at the wall opposite, coming back to himself as a nurse entered Hatori's room, returning shortly with a reluctant Momiji, who had obviously been crying judging by the red irritated skin around his eyes,

"I'm sorry, visiting hours have finished for the day, and Sohma-san needs to rest, my apologies." The young brunette nurse said earnestly as she bowed to Shigure and Ayame as they got to their feet, Momiji going to stand at Shigure's side, his eyes as sad and vacant as that day nine years ago on Hatori's doorstep.

"I understand completely, we will return tomorrow." Shigure replied with a bow, the nurse walking away quickly to continue her duties. "Ayame, would you go and gather the others?" Shigure asked as he turned to the snake, who nodded and walked down the corridor, leaving Shigure alone with the young rabbit, "I know that look Momiji…don't worry. He'll come to his senses." Shigure assured with a smile,

"I…I hope so." Momiji replied quietly as he looked at the floor, Shigure laying a hand on his shoulder comfortingly as the others returned, Kyo and Tohru still talking quietly, Haru walking along in a daze and Yuki trying to keep his mobile out of Ayame's grasp,

"I am not giving you my mobile number!" Yuki objected as he tucked the small phone into his green coat pocket, Ayame leaning over his shoulder trying to slip his hand into the pocket as Yuki fended him off,

"At least let me give you mine, you might need me!" Ayame insisted as they approached, Shigure and Momiji sharing a small smile at the sight of the bickering brothers, Tohru hesitantly stepping forward to calm the situation before Yuki lost his temper,

"Uh, Yuki-kun, it wouldn't hurt to have your brother's number…just in case." She said timidly, Yuki pausing to look at her before sighing and giving his phone to his brother,

"Alright, get it over with." He said as he walked ahead, Ayame sharing a smile with Tohru as he quickly input and saved the numbers,

"Oh! Wait until Tori-san hears about this! My little brother simply begged me to exchange phone numbers with him!" Ayame exclaimed as he put his phone back in his pocket, Yuki scowling and holding his breath as Ayame handed his mobile back to him, _I will not lose it! I will not! Resist the urge!_ He thought as he stowed his mobile in his pocket.

"Your self control has greatly improved Yuki…if only you could transfer some of that control to Kyo…" he added as he watched Kyo gradually losing his temper as Ayame started fluttering around him pestering him for his number, Tohru slowly backing away with a helpless look at Haru, who put a hand on her head comfortingly,

"Remember where you are stupid cat." Yuki said simply, Kyo freezing as he was about to lunge at Ayame, his rage quickly turning to Yuki, and then the growingly familiar hesitancy set in, the hesitancy that Shigure suspecting came from living with and spending time with Yuki.

"Damnit! Shut up you damn rat!" Kyo snapped as he jammed his hands in his pockets and walked off down the corridor, Haru slowly walking off after him,

"I'll just go help him let of some steam." He said as he ambled towards the exit, Yuki sighing as he turned to Tohru with an apologetic expression.

"Well, shall we go?" Shigure asked as he looked around the remaining people,

"Oh, is it alright is I say goodbye to Hatori-san?" Tohru asked shyly, Shigure looking thoughtful, _well…visiting times are over, but she didn't say we couldn't say goodbye…_he thought, looking across at Ayame, who shrugged in response,

"I don't suppose it would hurt…" Shigure replied, Tohru smiling as she hurried to the door and opened it a crack, peering into the room at the peaceful figure in the bed, his eyes closed as the afternoon sun shone through the window,

"Hatori-san?" she called softly, moving further into the room to get a better look at his handsome face, she had only seen him sleeping once before, she liked the way all the cares of the day faded from his face as he slept,

"…Momiji…room ready…" Hatori murmured in his sleep, Tohru smiling softly as she pulled the blanket up to his chin and brushed his hair out of his eyes affectionately,

"We'll be back later Hatori-kun." She said quietly as she tiptoed out of the room and closed the door; _I wonder what he was dreaming about…_she wondered as she turned to leave.

* * *

_**Well, Shigure's gone…I guess it's just Momiji and me now, but what should I do?**__ Hatori wondered as he took the three glasses to the kitchen and ran a sink of water, cleaning the glasses slowly as he pondered his situation. It was the first time he had been left alone with Momiji, other than the times he had done the six monthly examinations, which he had done four times without supervision and twice before with his father looking over his shoulder and offering guidance, __**I wish my father was here offering me guidance right now…**__he thought with a sigh, __**unfortunately that is impossible…I can't believe the funeral was only half a year ago…it seems so long ago now…**__he thought, so lost in his memories that he didn't notice the small boy standing in the doorway watching him hesitantly._

"_I guess I should show him his room next…" Hatori thought aloud as he grabbed a tea towel and began drying the glasses, putting them up in the cupboard, freezing as he turned to the door and saw Momiji standing there watching him, "Momiji! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there!" Hatori apologised as he looked down at the small boy, who opened his mouth and then closed it again quickly with a blush, Hatori smiling and ruffling the boy's hair at the gesture, "You don't have to speak." He added, the small boy smiling silently. "Well, I guess now's as good a time as any, would you like to see your room and unpack?" Hatori asked, Momiji nodding in reply, following close behind Hatori as he led the way up stairs to the landing,_

"_Okay, since we're up here I'll show you around. This is the bathroom." Hatori said as he stopped at the top of the stairs, pointing to a room on the right, then to the room opposite, "This will be your room, and this is my room right next door." He added as he pointed to the next room, "This is just another spare room." He added as he pointed to the room on the left, heading into Momiji's room where the two cases had been left in the centre of the room._

"_Sorry it's so plain, but once you've decided what you'd like it to look like I'm sure you and I can redecorate." Hatori said as Momiji looked around the simple room. It had white washed walls, a large single bed that looked soft but firm with a thick blanket and large plumped pillows. There was a desk with a leather swivelling chair, a bookcase with a few children's books stacked up, a large wooden wardrobe big enough for two people to share and a chest of draws, on top of which was a CD player and a stack of CDs. Momiji walked to the swivelling chair and hopped up, sitting in the huge chair and using the desk to push the seat in a circle, Hatori smiling at the sight as Momiji span in the chair, "You like the chair I see." He laughed, the blonde boy nodding simply as he stopped spinning,_

"_Let's get busy." Hatori said, more to himself than Momiji, as he knelt down and opened the first case, hearing Momiji's feet padding across the soft carpeted floor to his side, "Well, this seems to be clothes…let's sort them into piles." Hatori said, Momiji nodding as he knelt by the case and reached in, lifting a white frilly shirt, __**for a boy he seems to have a lot of…girly clothes…**__Hatori thought as he took the shirt from Momiji and put it on the floor beside him, "This will be the pile for the wardrobe." Hatori announced, the boy nodding as he pulled out another shirt and handed it to Hatori, both of them slowly working their way through the first case, __**okay, things aren't going too badly so far…**__Hatori thought as he got to his feet with a groan, his knees cracking from spending so much time kneeling on the floor, Momiji following him as he walked to the wardrobe with the large pile of wardrobe clothes._

"_Momiji, you know how to hang clothes on coat hangers right?" Hatori checked as he opened the wardrobe and pulled out a pile of hangers, looking at Momiji to see him nod his reply, "Okay good, you start putting these clothes on the hangers while I put the rest in the draws okay?" he asked, Momiji nodding as he hurried to the bed and began threading the first shirt onto a hanger,_

"_Okay, top drawer will be socks and pants." Hatori decided out loud as he picked up the large pile of small underpants, most of them white but there were a few blacks, just like the large pile of socks, which he was surprised to find were all plain, he had been expecting colourful ones or ones with rabbit pictures on, __**his parents must have been quite strict…then again they let him run around in pink and frills…**__he thought as he closed the now full drawer,_

"_Second drawer, tops and T-shirts." Hatori announced as he put the tops in one half and the T-shirts in the other, though Momiji had few of either, most of his tops came in the shirt category and would therefore be hung in the wardrobe. This job done he closed the mostly empty drawer and moved onto the next,_

"_Third drawer will be jumpers." He said as he lifted the pile of wool jumpers and fleece tops, again this drawer was left mostly empty because Momiji seemed to wear more cardigans than jumpers, __**I wonder how he'll turn out when he's older…right now I'd say gay…leaning bisexual…**__Hatori thought absently as he closed the drawer, __**though I wonder if that will change living with me, where did he get this dress sense from?**__ He wondered,_

"_Fourth drawer shorts." Hatori said, picking up the large pile of pale coloured shorts, some blue, some white, a couple black, one pink and one red, putting them all in the drawer before closing it and moving back to the final pile,_

"_Leaving the fifth drawer for trousers." He concluded as he put the pile of jeans and black trousers away, turning back to see Momiji still slowly working through the pile of clothes, so far five shirts hung. Hatori went over and sorted through the pile quickly,_

"_I'll hang the pyjamas, you finish the shits and we'll split the jackets and cardigans." Hatori said with a smile as he lifted a pair of pyjama bottoms and folded them in half, using a triangle hanger to hang the trousers and then the shirt over the top before putting it in the wardrobe to the left, hanging the other five pairs, leaving one set out for the night. There were two other night pairs and three summer pairs, the winder sets thick long sleeved soft flannel while the summer ones were a loose which cotton T-shirt and shorts._

"_You're done?" Hatori exclaimed as Momiji held out the ten shirts to him, all of them different styles, some of them different colours. Momiji smiled brightly as Hatori took the shirts, hanging them in the centre of the wardrobe, the right of the large wooden wardrobe saved for the cardigans and jackets._

"_How about I do the cardigans and you do the jackets." Hatori said as he began hanging the first soft white cardigan, a little rabbit embroidered into the pockets. The job was done quickly and they were soon onto the second case, which was mostly toys and books, the books all children's books that fitted nicely on the shelf beside the others and the toys all seemed to be rabbits, __**wow, not one board game or handheld games console…this is strange…**__Hatori thought as he closed the case, putting one in the wardrobe and leaving the other at the side of the room,_

"_Momiji, this case will stay in the wardrobe for holidays and such, the other will go up in the loft." Hatori said as he sat on the bed beside the young boy, who was already enjoying organising his soft toys around the large bed, which was against the wall in a corner,_

"_H…Ha…ri…" Momiji said quietly, Hatori looking down at him in genuine surprise, he hadn't thought that Momiji would find his voice for days, maybe even months, not that he was going to complain, "Ha'ri…" Momiji said a little clearer, Hatori smiling at the abbreviated version of his name,_

"_What is it Momiji?" he asked, deciding not to make a big deal out of the return of his voice, __**drawing attention to it may force him back into his shell of embarrass him,**__ Hatori decided as he looked at the small blushing boy, "What is it?" he coaxed,_

"_Well…I was wondering…if it's not too much trouble…could I have by bed…below the window?" Momiji asked hesitantly, Hatori finding himself smiling once again, __**such hesitancy over such a simple request, and he seems so worried I'll say no…**__he thought as he got to his feet,_

"_Of course, hold on." He added as he got a grip on the bed and twisted it away from the wall, glad that it was on small wheels that made it easier to move. The small blonde boy crossed his legs and gripped the thick blanket, laughing loudly as Hatori pushed the bed over to the window, which was where the dresser was, "Okay, where do you want this?" he asked as he pointed at the chest of drawers, taking off the CD player and CDs, leaving them on the bookshelf while he moved the drawers._

"_Just against the wall will be fine." Momiji replied, Hatori looking around the room thoughtfully, __**I could move the drawers to where the bed was, then shift the bed to the corner over here with the pillows beneath the window.**__ Hatori thought as he slowly slid the wooden draws across the room, finding it quite difficult to get them to move, but after struggling a while the drawers were safely in the corner and he was back to moving the bed, sliding it into the space he had imagined,_

"_What about this?" Hatori asked as Momiji lay down and looked out of the window,_

"_Here is fine." He replied with a bright smile as Hatori sat on the edge of the bed tiredly, __**I hadn't planed on moving furniture tonight…man I'm beat…**__Hatori thought as he watched Momiji positioning his toys along the edge of the bed, piling them up in the corner where they couldn't fall off, "Ha'ri…thank you…" Momiji said with a blush,_

"_You don't need to thank me Momiji, this is your room, you should have it how you want it, and remember, if you think of anything, wall paper, paint colour, curtain patterns, anything, just tell me and I'll see what I can do okay?" Hatori replied, the rabbit blushing and nodding as the older man ruffled his golden curls and got to his feet,_

"_But Ha'ri…I really am grateful to you…for looking after me." Momiji said quickly as the older man paused in the doorway, looking over his shoulder with a warm smile._


	9. Chapter 9

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

Hatori opened his eyes slowly, surprised to find himself in the hospital for a few moments, _oh right, it was a dream…of course it was, that was over nine years ago. _He thought as he sighed and blinked a few times to get the tired feeling out of his eyes, pulling at the restraints unsuccessfully with a frustrated sigh as he leaned his head back.

"Sohma-san, I have some food for you." a young brunette nurse said with a smile as she entered the room holding a tray, putting it on the table, which wheeled into place across the bed. Hatori looked at the plate of hot food, carrot cubes, peas, mashed potato and a stew of some sort, _I really hate hospital food…good thing I'm trying to kill myself or I'd be forced to eat it._ He thought in amusement as he settled back and closed his eyes,

"Take it away, I'm not that hungry." He replied, sighing as he heard the young nurse sit down in the seat beside him, he dark eyes concerned as she looked down at him,

"Now now, you have to eat to keep your strength up." she insisted as she lifted the plastic fork on the plate and scooped up some potato, holding it out to Hatori's mouth, but he turned his head away insistently, "Come on, you need to eat." She said again,

"Miss, I am here because I tried to kill myself. Slitting my wrists was a quiet and painless way to do things, but I am not above starvation, it will just take a little longer, so no, I will not eat that food." Hatori insisted firmly, the nurse looking hesitant as she got to her feet, taking the tray with her as she left the room, _I really hate people sometimes, I can't even tell anyone why I'm killing myself, God I hope Momiji's okay…_he thought as he looked out of the window, feeling a little guilty about his situation, _I know I have to do this…but I also have to make sure Momiji is okay. _He decided as he pressed the button to call a nurse, waiting patiently until the brunette nurse returned,

"Have you changed you mind about the food?" she asked hopefully, Hatori shaking his head with a small smile, "Oh…then what can I do for you?" she asked as she stepped into the room,

"Two things actually, firstly un-strap me so I can go to the bathroom and secondly call my solicitor, Sakai-san, his card is in my wallet." He added as the nurse opened the draw and rummaged. His wallet was among the personal items he had had in his pockets at the time he was taken to the hospital. The young nurse pulled out the black wallet and opened it, sliding out the cards until she found the right one,

"Okay, I'll call him for you, and I'll send someone along to escort you to the bathroom." She replied as she took the card and headed quickly to the door, _there's really no need to treat me like an invalid…I guess she has a point though, they don't know whether I'll try to hurt myself or not…and this would be a good opportunity, but I can't, not until I know Momiji will be alright once I'm gone._ He thought, a young man entering to un-strap him,

"I don't suppose you'll listen if I tell you I don't need your help?" Hatori said questioningly as he looked at the man who was probably a few years younger than him, perhaps Ritsu's age.

"Sorry Sohma-san, I've been told not to take my eyes off you." he replied kindly, his short dark hair brushing his blue eyes that matched his uniform nicely. Hatori sighed and massaged his irritated skin where the restraints had been strapped down, _maybe I shouldn't have struggled so much…_he thought absently as he got to his feet and slipped into the slippers that Shigure had brought for him, along with some of his other clothes.

"I'm suicidal, not incapable." Hatori said as the young nurse held out an arm to steady him, pausing at Hatori's words with a blush, "Ah I see, they didn't tell you." Hatori observed as he headed for the door, the young man staying at his side as they walked through the corridor to the men's toilets,

"So…why did you? Um…" the nurse asked as they entered the toilets, the young man watching Hatori reluctantly as he approached the urinal and reached down to pull out his member,

"I'm afraid even if I wanted to tell you I wouldn't be able to…do you really have to watch?" Hatori asked awkwardly, the young man smiling apologetically, _may as well get this over with…_Hatori sighed as he tried to relax, glad that he managed to relieve himself,

"So…are you in the army or something?" the nurse asked as Hatori washed his hands, the dragon looking at the young man in the mirror with a bewildered expression,

"Where did that come from?" he asked as he looked over his shoulder and went to dry his hands,

"Well, you said you couldn't talk about why you want to kill yourself, so I thought maybe it was because you were doing some sort of classified work for the government or something." The young man replied sheepishly, Hatori smiling as he threw the paper towels away,

"You have quite the imagination, but no, nothing like that…well, nothing so big as that anyway." Hatori replied as they headed back to his room, Hatori climbing into the bed once again, "If you insist on using the restraints could you buckle them a little looser? They're too tight." He added as he indicated the red marks on his arms,

"Oh, I guess I can do that." the young man replied as he strapped the restraints loosely, Hatori testing one and finding that if he really wanted to he could slide his arm out, _perfect, now once everything is sorted I won't have any problem getting free._ He thought as he watched the young man head for the door, "Well, I'll be going." He said as he walked out the door, leaving Hatori alone once again.

* * *

"Momiji, would you like to help me with the dinner?" Tohru asked as she entered the living room, where Momiji and Yuki were watching the weather on the television, Yuki fiddling with the pen in his hand as he thought about the essay he was supposed to be writing, barely listening to the woman on the screen.

"Alright!" Momiji said happily as he got to his feet, all signs of his worry gone from his face, which Yuki found suspicious even for Momiji, _I guess Shigure must have said something to him to cheer him up at the hospital, _the rat thought as he watched the blonde boy hurry into the kitchen with Tohru,

"Okay, tonight I thought we should have something simple…hm…let's see," she said as she crouched down and opened the fridge, "We have beef, I guess that's a start…" she thought aloud, the young rabbit looking over her shoulder as she rummaged, "Ah! Hatsuharu likes Teriyaki beef right? Okay…we'll need these beef steaks obviously, let's see, I have the recipe somewhere…" she thought as she reached up for a recipe book in the cupboard, flicking to the page she needed, "Here it is, four table spoons of vegetable oil, two crushed garlic cloves, four centimetres of fresh root ginger, grated, four table spoons of Sake, four tablespoons of Mirin, one hundred millilitres of light soy sauce, half a tea spoon of ground black pepper and two sirloin steaks about one hundred and seventy five grams each and five hundred grams of jasmine rice, cooked, to serve." She read as she got to her feet, "Do you think the rice will be okay served plain?" Tohru asked as she turned to the younger teen,

"Anything you make will be great Tohru!" he replied enthusiastically, Tohru smiling with a bright blush as she looked down at him, though she was finding recently that she was having to look down less and less, he was growing amazingly fast,

"Okay, can you get the soy sauce, mirin, sake and vegetable oil from the cupboard for me?" Tohru asked as she took the cloves of garlic and ginger from a draw, where she kept a few vegetables that she used on a regular basis. As Momiji got down the bottles she needed Tohru went around grabbing the things she would need, a large grill tray big enough for the six steaks, a large mixing bowl and some spoons. "Let's see, 'combine all the marinade ingredients together and add the steaks to the bowl. Leave on one side for a minimum of ten to fifteen minutes, overnight if you have time…well, we'll need three times as much of everything on here," Tohru said to herself as she got down a measuring jug and pushed it to Momiji, "Would you measure out the soy sauce to make sure we have enough?" she asked as she got a grater and bowl, grating the ginger root into a bowl,

"There's not enough, but I'm sure I saw another bottle in the cupboard." Momiji said as he went back to the wooden door and opened it, scanning the shelf until he found the bottle, "Okay, this should be enough." He added as he opened the new bottle and added around half of its contents to the jug, stopping at three hundred millilitres.

"Okay, now into the small glass bowls in this draw measure out the sake, mirin and oil." Tohru instructed as she continued grating the ginger, grating the whole root to get the amount about right as Momiji began tipping out the amounts of what he needed, multiplying the amount in the book by three each time, and by the time he was done Tohru was reaching for the first clove of garlic, putting it in her garlic crusher and pulling the handles together, the garlic going into the bowl with the ginger,

"What now Tohru?" the rabbit asked eagerly as he watched her delicate hands working the crusher, her eyes shifting to him as she started on the next clove,

"Measure out the pepper into another one of those small glass bowls and then weigh out the rice for me. The rice is in the cupboard above you," she added as the blonde grabbed the pepper pot, tipping out a teaspoon and a half into a small bowl before reaching up for the rice and pulling the scales towards him, taking the large five hundred gram weight and putting it on one end, tipping out the rice three times over and putting the amount in a large glass bowl.

"All done." Momiji said with a smile as Tohru put the grater down and got another large bowl,

"Me too, okay, now we'll tip the soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sake and mirin into this bowl, we mix it up and leave the steaks marinating for…I think an hour would be okay." Tohru decided as she tipped the garlic and ginger into the large bowl and looked at the clock as Momiji added the rest of the liquids and pepper, mixing it with a spoon before Tohru added the steaks, "Okay, that's it, let's get everything put away now." Tohru said with a bright smile as she took the small bowls to the sink and ran some water, leaving Momiji to put the bottles back in the cupboard, turning as she heard a smash,

"I'm sorry Tohru! It slipped out of my hand!" Momiji cried as he crouched down and began picking up the fragments of the sake bottle, the clear liquid in a puddle on the tiled floor,

"Momiji! Don't touch the glass!" Tohru exclaimed as she hurried over, the small rabbit gasping as a sharp fragment cut the palm of his hand, his eyes squeezing shut at the sight of all the blood, "It's okay Momiji…here, let me clean and bandage that for you." Tohru said as she pulled the blonde to his feet and led him to the sink, turning on the cold tap and putting his hand under it as she rummaged beneath the sink for the medical kit, a thick role of bandages resting on the top.

"Are you okay?" Tohru asked as she pulled his hand out from beneath the running water and dried it on a clean tea towel, blood staining the white cloth as she patted his hand dry and began quickly wrapping the bandage around it, _this brings back memories…_he thought fondly as he watched her hands tie the bandage...


	10. Chapter 10

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

_Momiji peered into Hatori's open office, the doctor sat leaning over the desk as usual with a pen in his hand as he read over the latest reports on the zodiac members. The young blonde boy, still not used to the new surroundings he had been left in, wandered into the kitchen, looking up at the counter where there was a flowery vase, it was white with red flowers, __**pretty…**__Momiji thought as he looked up, seeing a bottle of black currant beside it. __**I shouldn't disturb Ha'ri, he's working…I can get a drink by myself.**__ He decided, quietly sneaking to the dining table in the section to the left of the main kitchen area, pulling one of the chairs across the tiled floor, pausing each time it squeaked on the tiles until it was at the right place. When it was pushed to the counter he climbed up, reaching for the bottle when somewhere a telephone rang, his hand jerking in surprise, knocking the bottle over, which in turn hit the vase, __**oh no!**__ The blonde thought in horror as the vase fell, smashing into dozens of large fragments,_

"_What was that? I think it was my end, I'll have to call you back." Hatori's voice said from his office as Momiji jumped down, reaching out and picking up a fragment of the vase, "Momiji?" Hatori's voice called from his office, the small boy gasping as he cut his hand, dropping the fragment of china before running to the table and hiding beneath it, looking over at the counter and door,_

"_Momiji?" Hatori called a little louder, his footsteps sounding as he hurried down the hall to the kitchen, looking around but not seeing him as he saw the vase. As Hatori looked down he saw blood amongst the fragments, __**Damnit, he's been here less than a month and he's already hurt!**__ He thought as he looked at the floor, seeing another spot of blood a little to the left, and then another, and as he followed the small trail he found that it led to the table, "Momiji?" he said questioningly as he knelt down and looked at the small blonde boy, tears falling down his cheeks as he cradled his heavily bleeding hand, the blood staining his jeans as he rested his hands on his thigh, "Hey, it's okay, come out." Hatori encouraged gently as he took Momiji's elbow and tugged him to the edge of the table gently, slipping his hands under the boys arms and lifting the boy as he got to his feet._

"_Ha'ri?" the boy said questioningly as Hatori carried him into the main kitchen and sat him on the counter, turning the cold tap on and holding Momiji's bleeding hand under the cold water, the small boy hissing as the water made contact with the deep and insistently bleeding cut._

"_What is it Momiji?" Hatori asked without looking up at the boy as he examined the cut closely, __**good, I don't see any left over fragments…**__he thought as he ran a finger up and down the cut to get a better look at the inside, Momiji moaning painfully as the older man fingered the cut, his dark eyes examining every millimetre of it._

"_I…I didn't mean to…" Momiji trailed off, Hatori drying the small hand on a fresh tea towel, pressing the rough material firmly on the cut,_

"_Hold this, and hold it tight." Hatori instructed as he let Momiji take the towel and press it to his cut hand firmly before he left the room, leaving Momiji sitting on the counter watching his retreating back,_

"_Ha'ri!" Momiji cried as he hopped down from the counter and ran down the hall, wrapping his arms around Hatori's leg tightly as he cried into the dark fabric, the tea towel left on the floor of the kitchen, the blood soaking into Hatori's trouser leg as Momiji gripped the fabric,_

"_Momiji? What's wrong?" Hatori asked as he gently pried the small hands from his trouser leg and knelt down to Momiji's height, __**what do I do? Why is he crying? Is it the pain in this hand? Cuts this deep usually don't hurt that much!**__ Hatori thought worriedly as he held the boy's shoulders gently, Momiji looking at him with big brown eyes, severely irritated from the tears that still fell down his cheeks,_

"_I-I don't want you to leave me! I didn't mean to smash the vase! It as an accident! Please don't be mad and send me away!" Momiji cried, diving forward to wrap his arms around Hatori's neck tightly, his chest heaving as sobs wracked his body, __**what?**__ Hatori thought in disbelief as he closed his arms around the small boy securely,_

"_What gave you that idea?" he asked as he stroked the boy's hair, feeling a warm wet patch appearing on the back of his shirt, __**I have to get that cut sorted soon…**__Hatori thought as he pulled back and looked at the teary eyed small boy,_

"_You didn't speak to me…are you really angry?" Momiji asked worriedly as he wiped his still crying eyes, Hatori sighing and leaning his forehead on the small boys, pulling back with a small smile,_

"_Do I look angry?" he asked as he got to his feet and lifted Momiji into his arms, carrying him into his office, where he sat him on the edge of the table and crouched down to retrieve his medical bag from the floor by the desk, the small blonde boy shaking his head in reply to Hatori's question, "Why did you think I would be angry?" Hatori asked as he put the black leather bag on the desk beside Momiji and opened it, the small boy looking down at his hand sadly,_

"_I broke your vase." Momiji replied, Hatori sighing as he took Momiji's injured hand and reached into his bag, pulling out a roll of bandage, some cotton pads and a bottle of antiseptic, not taking his eyes from the cut, his hand instinctively knowing where the items were in his bag._

"_Wrong, if I was angry, and I'm not, I would be more upset about you being hurt and hiding than the broken vase…tell me what happened, you were obviously trying to get something from the counter, what was it?" Hatori asked as he tipped some of the antiseptic onto one of the cotton pads before cleaning the still bleeding cut thoroughly, examining it once more, __**hm…well, he's not a haemophiliac, and it's not deep enough for stitches so the bandage should be enough,**__ Hatori thought as he wiped the cut once more,_

"_Well, I came in from playing in the grounds and you were working. I went to the kitchen and saw the black currant so I thought I'd get a drink, I couldn't reach it by myself so I used a chair, but as I reached across for the bottle the phone rang and I jumped, the bottle fell, then the vase, I tried to pick up the pieces but you called, and I got scared so I hid under the table." Momiji confessed guiltily, wincing as Hatori wrapped the bandage around his hand tightly, his dark eyes looking up from his task for a moment to give Momiji a warm look,_

"_Momiji, I'm not angry about the vase, but if something breaks don't pick up the pieces with your hands, come to me and tell me so that I can clear it up." Hatori instructed, the rabbit nodding sheepishly as he looked up at the older man, "And if you wanted a drink you could have just asked, it would have been no trouble for me to stop what I was doing for a few moments." He added, Momiji blushing as he looked at the white bandage that Hatori was tying securely,_

"_I didn't want to disturb you…father told me not to bother him when he was working…" Momiji trailed off, Hatori packing away the bandages and other items in his bag,_

"_Well, I am not your father, and as long as you are here you can come to me at any time, no matter how inconvenient it may seem." Hatori assured as he lifted the small boy down from the desk, "Alright, I'll get you that drink and clean up the vase." He added as he led the way back to the kitchen…_

* * *

"Ow!" Momiji yelped as Tohru tied off the bandage, her hands quickly releasing him, her expression worried and guilty as she looked at his pained expression,

"I'm sorry! Are you alright?" Tohru asked as she looked at the blonde teen, who smiled and nodded, _I don't want to make Tohru feel bad, she just pulled a little too tight when she tied off the bandage…it's a shame, I was enjoying thinking about that old cut, it was the first time Ha'ri and I really bonded._ He thought with a soft smile as he looked at the bandaged hand, the same hand that Hatori had bandaged all those years ago,

"Okay, well, you're all bandaged and we have about forty minutes left before we move onto the next steps so you can go and watch television if you like, I'll just do some of the laundry." Tohru decided as the front door opened and Kyo walked in, his T-shirt damp with sweat where he had been sparring at the dojo, and judging by his breathing he had run back too. "Welcome home Kyo-kun, dinner will be ready in a couple of hours, and I'm about to start the laundry so if you're quick I'll be able to wash those clothes." Tohru said with a smile as she walked over to the well-built teen,

"Okay, I'll bring down the rest of the laundry upstairs." He added as Tohru made to walk by him, a blush on her cheeks as he walked by her, pulling his dark T-shirt off as he went, revealing his smooth back,

"Thank you." Tohru called after him, quickly turning away from the orange haired boy as he headed up the stairs, Yuki appearing at the kitchen doorway as she walked back into the kitchen, "Can I get you something Yuki-kun?" she asked as they silver haired boy looked across at her,

"No, I was just getting a glass of orange juice." He replied with a smile as he got a glass down, looking down at the remains of the smashed bottle, "Are you going to clear this up?" he asked, Tohru looking at the bottle with wide eyes,

"Oh my God a completely forgot!" Tohru exclaimed as she hurried into the laundry room and looked around for the dustpan and brush, _I know I left it here somewhere…_she thought as she looked down behind the washing machine, finding it there before heading back to the kitchen,

"Honda-san, I didn't mean to sound accusing, here let me do that." Yuki offered apologetically as she returned. Tohru shook her head quickly, her honey blonde hair whipping about her shoulders at the action,

"No, I couldn't possibly! It's my mess, I'll clean it up!" Tohru insisted as she got onto her hands and knees carefully and began sweeping up the glass, Yuki watching in concern as she knelt near the sharp fragments,

"Where do you want this? What are you doing down there?" Kyo asked as he entered the kitchen with the linen basket from the bath room upstairs, well, the 'men's' bathroom anyway, Tohru had her own one next to her room that the resident men had silently agreed to give to her,

"Ah, Momiji and I had a little accident a few minutes ago." She replied as she swept the glass into the dustpan, Yuki grabbing the bin and leaning it down to her so that she could empty the glass into it before sweeping around for any loose fragments,

"Well, are you alright?" Kyo asked in concern as Tohru got to her feet with a bright smile, heading to the laundry room quickly and putting the dustpan and brush back behind the washing machine,

"Oh I'm fine, Momiji cut his hand but I bandaged it up." she replied as she dragged the vacuum from its place, gasping as she felt Kyo brush by her and dump the linen basket, his hands covering hers on the vacuum,

"You get on to the laundry, I'll do the floor…you were going to vacuum the kitchen to make sure you got all the glass right?" Kyo asked with a soft smile, Tohru blushing and nodding as he pulled the vacuum from her grasp, "Well then…" he trailed off as he left the small room, _he sounded so much like Shigure just then…I wonder what he'd say about that…_she trailed off with a smile, _he'd probably get mad._ She concluded as she turned to the pile of laundry.


	11. Chapter 11

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

"Alright, you want to leave everything to your cousin Momiji Sohma, correct?" Sakai asked as he typed it into his laptop, Hatori watching the middle aged man with disinterest. Sakai was middle aged, but looked a lot younger, his black hair tied back loosely, his bangs hanging down over the rim of his rectangular glasses, his blue eyes staring at the screen with a look of deep concentration,

"Yes, that's right." Hatori replied, Sakai nodding as he typed away at the keys quietly, the room silent apart from the steady click of the keys. _I wonder how long thing is going to take…I may not be strapped down so loosely next time, I have to get this over with as quickly as possible! _Hatori thought as Sakai stopped typing,

"Alright, why don't we sign this once you're out of the hospital?" Sakai suggested with a smile as he got to his feet, "You need to rest after all." He added as he closed the laptop and began packing it away,

"No, I want this done as soon as possible." Hatori replied firmly, Sakai pausing as he closed his bag, sighing awkwardly as he massaged his neck and looked at the door, something in his manner telling Hatori things weren't going to go his way today,

"Look, Sohma-san…I can't let you sign this until you've been discharged." Sakai stated as he looked at Hatori, who sighed and closed his eyes, _Damnit! I knew it! Patient files and such are supposed to be completely confidential!_ He thought angrily as he opened his eyes and glared at the wall, "I am sorry, but from what Shigure Sohma-san told me on the phone you're not feeling yourself right now, so legally I can't let you sign until you're out of the hospital with a clean bill of health." Sakai added apologetically,

"Shigure…" Hatori said quietly as he thought of all the things he would love to do to his cousin if he got hold of him, _unfortunately by the time he gets back I'll probably be tied down too tightly to get out of these damned things and ring his neck! _He thought with a scowl, "I understand, we'll sort this out later then." Hatori replied, Sakai quickly taking his leave_**, **__Damnit! I'll have to leave Momiji and hope that Shigure takes care of him…but I hate to leave him like this…but then I can't afford to wait, this is the best chance I have!_ Hatori thought as he looked at the closed door, pulling his hands out of the restraints with great difficulty, the red marks on his arms getting darker from the strain. He glanced at the door again quickly as he sat up and ripped off the bandages, looking down at the dark stitches sewn into his wrists, dried blood flaking around the edge of the plastic string as he raised it to his lips and pulled with his teeth, closing his eyes against the pain as fresh blood spilled down his arm and lips, the coppery substance filling his mouth, almost making him gag as he moved onto the second one, _well, what next? Ouchit! Damn that hurt!_ He thought as he spat the blood and string out of his mouth and looked around the room, getting up and taking the chair to the door, using it to block the handle_, well, at least no one can get in now…_he thought as he went back to the bed and lay down to wait.

* * *

Shigure yawned as he padded down the hall towards the insistently ringing phone, taking it off the hook and putting the receiver to his ear tiredly as he stretched, his light brown yukata falling open at the chest as his stretched his shoulders,

"Mochi-mochi?" he groaned, sighing as he finished his stretch and listened to the voice on the other end of the phone, but still too tired to understand what was being said, "Sorry, could you repeat that?" he asked as he woke up a little more,

"This is the hospital, Hatori-Sohma-san is in critical condition. He was found earlier this evening out of his restraints, he's been moved up to the third floor, private room sixty nine B. We're hoping that a blood transfusion will get him back on the road to recovery, but I can't guarantee anything." The young feminine voice on the other end of the phone said sympathetically, Shigure listening with wide eyes as the woman spoke,

"Alright, I'll be there in the morning, please do what you can. Good night." Shigure replied calmly, the woman hanging the phone up quickly after. Shigure stood with the phone in his hand, gripping the receiver with white knuckles, _Hatori! You idiot! _He thought as he gritted his teeth and slammed his fist into the wooden wall panel, leaving a fist-sized dent in the wood, grunting as he bent the scraped and slightly bruised fingers, dropping the phone receiver to the floor as he went to the freezer and tool out an ice pack,

"Oh, Shigure, are you alright? I heard the noise…" Tohru said as she entered the living room, Shigure holding the pack over his sore hand, "Are you alright?" Tohru asked as she noticed the blue pack, taking it off to examine his hand worriedly, seeing the knuckles already turning blue from the impact on the wall,

"I'm fine, really." Shigure insisted with a warm smile, Tohru still looking worried as he replaced the pack on his hand, "Unfortunately the same can't be said of Hatori." He added regretfully as Tohru sat on the floor in her pink flannel pyjamas, her bunny slippers peering up at Shigure as he looked down at her,

"What happened?" she asked sadly as she peered up with her dark hazel eyes, Shigure looking off worriedly at the wall, _I thought for sure he'd stop all this if he couldn't get Sakai to make up the will, I never thought he'd try again, not this soon…_he thought with a sigh,

"He got loose and tore the stitches out again…I'm going to visit him in the morning, but I want you and the others to go to school, and please, don't tell them until I find out more." He replied as he looked down at the young girl, who nodded obediently.

* * *

_Hatori woke up at the noise, a loud wailing coming from Momiji's room down the hall, __**what's going on?**__ He wondered tiredly as he sat up and looked at the clock at his bedside, which read three in the morning. With a sigh he climbed out of bed, the wailing quieting down to muffled sobs as Hatori made his way down the hall to Momiji's room,_

"_Momiji?" Hatori called softly as he opened the door, seeing a small shivering lump beneath the covers of the bed in the darkness, "Momiji." He called again as he crept towards the bed, gently pulling back the covers to be met with a scream as Momiji thrashed and knocked his hands away in terror, "Momiji! Momiji! It's me!" Hatori shouted as he grabbed the small boy's arms,_

"_H-Ha'ri?" Momiji asked tearfully as he opened his tear streaked eyes, just able to make out Hatori's face in the dark moonlit room, the dragon's concerned eyes softening as he looked at the scared little boy, "Ha'ri!" Momiji cried as he dived into Hatori's arms, the older boy comforting him,_

"_Hey, it's okay, you're okay…hush…did you have a bad dream?" Hatori asked as he looked down at Momiji, who nodded and wiped his eyes on the light blue sleeve of his bunny covered pyjamas, __**well, at least it was nothing serious…now what do I do?**__ The dragon wondered as he stroked the boy's golden curls gently, "Well, try and get some sleep, I'll be right next door if you need me, okay?" Hatori said assuringly as he made to get to his feet, feeling a small tug on his sleeve, looking down to see Momiji's small hand holding the soft material of his white pyjama sleeve. "You don't want me to leave." Hatori observed as he looked at the wide pleading eyes of the small boy, his hand still holding his sleeve tightly,_

"_Can you stay here?" Momiji asked pleadingly as Hatori looked around the room, not seeing an alarm clock of any sort, __**of course there isn't, I usually wake him up,**__ he thought as he got to his feet, Momiji gripping his sleeve tighter,_

"_I can't, I have to get up early." Hatori replied, Momiji looking hurt as well as scared as he released the sleeve he had been gripping so tightly, "So you can come and sleep in my room." Hatori added as he looked down at the small boy, who smiled brightly as Hatori leaned down and lifted him securely into his arms. Hatori's comforting scent light and musky, and Momiji breathed it deeply as he was carried through to Hatori's room and put down on the large double bed, Hatori climbing in his usual side, where the clock stood giving off a red light, the only light in the room._

"_Ha'ri…can I open the curtains?" Momiji asked quietly as he knelt on the bed beside Hatori, who lay down tiredly and stared up at the young boy,_

"_Alright." He replied simply, Momiji slipping off the end of the bed and pulling open the thick white curtains to let the moonlight spill into the room. He looked up at the star lit sky for a few moments before hurrying back to the bed and climbing in beside Hatori, looking at the nineteen year old as he lay peacefully on his back, his eyes closed and his breathing slow. Momiji looked around the spacious room, everything tidy, nothing left out of place, it was a room as plain as Momiji's, not even a picture was out to brighten up the room, but still Momiji felt strangely comfortable, Hatori's scent filling his senses as he snuggled down in the covers, hesitating before shifting closer to Hatori, "Momiji? What are you doing?" Hatori asked tiredly as the small boy gently wrapped his small arm around Hatori's arm,_

"_Nothing…" the boy replied innocently as he released Hatori, Hatori able to imagine with ease the sad look that was on Momiji's face at that moment. With a sigh Hatori turned on his side and rested his arm across Momiji's stomach gently, the small boy reaching up to grip the front of Hatori's shirt gently as he leaned his head on the older man's chest,_

"_Better?" Hatori asked as he looked down at the small boy, seeing him nod in reply, __**I guess being a parent isn't so bad…**__Hatori thought with a smile as he leaned down and rested his chin on the boys soft hair, the light honey scent reaching him as he closed his eyes._


	12. Chapter 12

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

"Momiji…" Hatori sighed as he shifted in his sleep, a light sheen of sweat on his brow where his body fought to keep going. Though Hatori's condition had improved overnight with the blood transfusions it seemed another problem had come up, he had a fever and in his weakened condition it was having a bigger effect on him than it should,

"Always the worrisome father…" Shigure said gently as he wiped Hatori's forehead, the dragon groaning lightly in his sleep, his face seeming deeply troubled even in his unconcious state, "Haa-san…please wake up soon…I don't know…I'm not ready to lose you, not yet, not for a long time…don't make me explain to Momiji that you killed yourself and that I don't know why…wake up!" the dog urged in a whisper, the dragon remaining stubbornly unconscious. _Well it was worth a try…_Shigure thought with a sigh as he looked at his friend, "I am serious Haa-san…I don't know what I'd do without you, you and Ayame have been like brothers to me…we have always been together." Shigure continued reminiscently, "I still remember the first serious injury you treated…"

* * *

"_Ayame!" Shigure cried in alarm as the fifteen year old lay on the ground unmoving. They were inside the school grounds, class had just finished and the three teens had decided to stay in the grounds for a while since it was such a nice day, and once they got home the atmosphere would be depressing as usual._

"_Idiot! I told you not to climb up that high!" Hatori snapped worriedly as he slammed his medical book up and left it on the grass as he got to his feet and hurried over to the young snake, who still lay unconscious on the ground, "Damnit! I haven't even started my medical degree yet you jerk!" Hatori snapped as he knelt down,_

"_Is he?" Shigure asked hesitantly as he peered over Hatori's shoulder, blood matting Ayame's silver hair, one of his elbows slightly out of joint through the jacket as Hatori ran his hand over it,_

"_No, he's not dead…but he is hurt, quite badly…call my father, I'll do what I can." Hatori replied as he ripped off his jacket and rolled up his shirtsleeves, "On second thought, help me carry him to the nurse's office first, I'll treat him there." Hatori decided, leaving his jacket and bag as he lifted Ayame's shoulders, watching as Shigure grabbed his feet. It didn't take as long as he thought it would to get back inside the school,_

"_What do you think you're doing?" a middle aged man shouted as he stomped down the corridor towards them, the boys not stopping as they hurried to the nurse's office, "You three! Stop!" the man shouted as he hurried after them,_

"_Otaka-Sensei! There was an accident, please get my father here as soon as possible." Hatori ordered as he and Shigure burst into the nurse's office and hefted Ayame onto one of the beds, the young nurse hurrying over, pausing as Hatori held up his hand, "Please take no offence, but I must ask you to leave." He said, the nurse about to speak when Shigure put a hand on her shoulder and hurried her towards the door,_

"_Yes yes yes, I know, you're outraged, insulted, I know, I know, please put all complaints in writing and send them to the Sohma estate, thank you." he said with a smile as he pushed the young woman out of the room and closed the door, imagining the confused look on her face with glee, __**how I love causing trouble,**__ he thought,_

"_Thank you." Hatori said as he unbuttoned Ayame's jacket and eased it off, being careful when he got to the right arm, which was broken. Shigure hurried to the bed and looked down at Hatori's fast moving hands as he quickly removed Ayame's shirt to leave him topless, "Shigure, look around and find me some antiseptic, bandages and two flat bits of wood, I don't know where from, the chair arms maybe, just hurry." Hatori ordered as he examined the rest of his body, finding both the legs and the other arm were fine, and since he had fallen on his back his ribs were fine, however since he was lying on his back Hatori was unable to examine it for the moment._

"_If I were a bandage where would I hide?" Shigure wondered quietly as he looked around the nurse's desk, seeing only papers and pens before moving to one of the large cabinets, smiling as he opened it and found a large bundle of bandages and a bottle of antiseptic cream, hurrying over to Hatori with them, "I'll just find the wood you need." Shigure added as he hurried back to the nurse's chair, seeing the armrests were plastic, and quite thick, __**I don't think these will be any good…hmm…**__he thought with a grin as he looked at the wooden cupboard doors, ripping one off it's hinges noisily and smashing it on the desk, the impact smashing it into five fragments, "Will these do?" Shigure asked as he took two of the larger and thinner fragments over to Hatori, who had just finished binding Ayame's head,_

"_They'll have to do." The dragon replied as he took the fragments, resting one beneath Ayame's broken arm and the other on top, tying a bandage around them to secure the bones together, __**I hope this works, I've only seem Dad do this twice…**__he thought worriedly as he felt along the arm, feeling the bones lining up as he tightened the boards, Ayame groaning in pain as he opened his amber eyes slowly,_

"_Good to see you Aaya." Shigure said with a smile as he peered over Hatori's shoulder at his disorientated friend, who looked around in confusion, grimacing as he tried to sit up and pain shot through his arm, Hatori placing a hand on his shoulder,_

"_What happened? Last thing I remember I was sitting in the tree…correction, falling from the tree…" he amended sheepishly as he looked down at his bound arm, __**well at least this hasn't dampened his spirits…**__Hatori thought with a sigh as he leaned over his friend,_

"_Later Ayame, how does your back feel?" he asked, Ayame shifting slightly with a thoughtful look before shrugging,_

"_Fine…why?" he asked as he watched Hatori sigh in relief and sit in the chair, Shigure laughing and placing both hands on the dragon's stiff shoulders, an excited glint in his eye,_

"_How does it feel to have dealt with you first patient?" Shigure asked, seeing a small smile trace Hatori's face as he turned over Shigure's question, "I've never seen you work, I doubt you even need to go to college." The dog added proudly as Hatori got to his feet and stretched,_

"_Well you're right about that, I've already started my degree, my father will teach me until after high school, by which point I'll just need to do a year at college, sit the exams and I'll be finished." He replied, both Ayame and Shigure looking at him with wide eyes, __**so that's why he doesn't have much time to hang out with us outside school…**__Shigure thought with a smile, __**he really is a hard worker…I'm a little envious, but I don't have the drive.**__ He added as the door opened and a tall dark haired man that Shigure knew all too well entered, "Dad!" Hatori greeted with a small smile, watching expectantly as his father examined the splint closely,_

"_Hatori, this is very well done, especially for a first attempt." The man said, his amber eyes turning to his son, who smiled triumphantly as Shigure clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Well Ayame, I'll drive you to the hospital and get your arm put in a cast. You two grab your bags and get home." He added as he turned to Hatori and Shigure,_

"_Yes Sir." Shigure replied with a smile as Ayame slowly sat up and got to his feet,_

"_Hatori! Thank you." Ayame said with a blush as he looked at the dragon, who was also blushing, __**I've never been thanked like this before…it feels…good.**__ He thought with a smile._

"_It's what I do." Hatori replied with a smile as he turned to follow Shigure, his father smiling proudly after him._

* * *

"Your father would be very disappointed in you right now you know." Shigure said as he came out of his memory, _how can a man be so caring when it comes to saving lives and helping people, but so thoughtless and selfish when it comes to his own life?_ Shigure wondered as he looked down at his friend, who was peering up at him silently with weak amber eyes,

"I know." Hatori rasped in reply, Shigure smiling as a tear of relief trickled down his cheek, Hatori's gaze softening slightly as he watched Shigure cry, "Shigure…I never knew you cared so much." Hatori added weakly, sweat still forming on his brow,

"Haa-san…please stop this…no one wants you to die." Shigure said earnestly, Hatori sighing boredly, tired of the conversation already, the nurses and doctors had already asked him about why he wanted to die and had told him that he shouldn't many times throughout the day, "I know why you're doing this." Shigure added, this catching Hatori's interest, "You're protecting Tohru, not that I can blame you, she is…she's the flower of our desolate garden." Shigure said with a fond look as he gazed at Hatori, "But I could not choose her over you, just as I couldn't choose you over her, you're both precious to me, to all of us…some more than others." He added quickly as he thought of Akito,

"You don't have to choose, I'm choosing, and I choose to protect Tohru." Hatori replied, Shigure giving him a withering look,

"Very gallant I'm sure, but how are you planning to do that if you're dead?" Shigure asked, sighing in frustration as Hatori smiled and closed his eyes, "Don't give me that look, you know as well as I do that once you're dead Akito will resort to physically disposing of her or black mail or a hundred other things!" Shigure insisted, Hatori shaking his head in response,

"You don't understand, I'm doing this for Tohru now, but in the long run there will be many others who discover our secret." Hatori replied,

"Like Kana…" Shigure added quietly, Hatori pausing and looking away stubbornly, _I should have known she'd come into this somehow, I thought this was over and done with!_ Shigure thought as he looked at Hatori's tired face, "Look, Haa-san, what happened to you and Kana is…well, it's tragic, but it's done, and it's not your fault! She wasn't well, your power saved her, just as it has saved others." Shigure insisted, seeing a glimmer of doubt in Hatori's eyes, "This family needs you as much as it needs Tohru. Tohru may be the flower of our garden, but you are the gardener, caring for all the withering plants and keeping them alive." Shigure insisted, Hatori turning back to him with a weak smile,

"You really have a poetic view on life." He said tiredly as he closed his eyes, Shigure smiling as he sat back in his chair and looked out of the large window that made up most of the wall,

"That is why I am the author and you are the doctor." He replied, seeing Hatori smile once more, "But seriously Haa-san, this family needs you, what would happen if Yuuki had another attack? Or that idiot Kyo got beaten up too badly by Yuki?" Shigure asked, "No regular doctor could see them." He added quickly before Hatori could reply,

"You'd find someone." He said confidently, though his eyes were less than confident,

"And who would be Momiji's father? I can take care of him, but I'll never be what you are to him." Shigure insisted, seeing the doubts grow even stronger at the mention of Momiji, "You remember the promise you made to him don't you? When he was ten, the first time he went out on his own at night, you remember don't you?" Shigure asked, Hatori sighing at the memory, the mere thought of it exhausting him,

"How could I forget?" Hatori replied as he looked out of the window reminiscently.


	13. Chapter 13

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

_**I shouldn't have let him go! I should never have let him go! What was I thinking? He's ten years old! Barely out of elementary school! I thought half nine was an acceptable time for his curfew, how could I have screwed up so badly? He could be anywhere!**__ The twenty three year old thought, pacing back and forth in the corridor as Shigure leaned on the wall watching his friend and cousin anxiously, __**this is familiar…**__the dog thought,_

"_Haa-san please, calm down." Shigure said gently as he reached out to lay a hand on Hatori's shoulder, the dragon shrugging him off roughly and glaring at him with angry dark eyes as he grabbed the front of the dog's shirt and slammed him into the wall,_

"_How can you say that when my son is out there somewhere?" Hatori shouted, Shigure looking a him with wide eyes at the admission, the dragon slowly calming down at Shigure's continued silence and leaned his head on his friend's shoulder, just as Shigure had known he would. "Sorry Shigure…" Hatori apologised as the dog reached up and wrapped his arms around his friend,_

"_I know you're worried Haa-san, but Momiji is a bright child, I'm sure he just got a little sidetracked on the way home." Shigure assured, his voice lacking the confidence he was attempting to portray, Hatori peering at him, clearly unconvinced,_

"_You liar, you're just as worried about him as I am." Hatori said, Shigure sighing and nodding as he looked at the door, hoping that at any minute the door would burst open and the small blonde would be there panting and saying how sorry he was to be late,_

"_You're right…want to go look for him?" Shigure asked as he looked back at Hatori, who nodded with a smile as he slipped into his shoes and grabbed his coat, going to the door to find a young woman in traditional clothes there just about to knock, the plain blue of her kimono telling him she was from the main house,_

"_Sorry to bother you Hatori-san, but Akito-sama has fallen ill again, he needs you." The young woman said with a bow, Hatori cursing and banging his fist on the wall, the woman looking up in shock at his reaction,_

"_Ah, please excuse Hatori, there's a bit of a crisis going on here right now." Shigure cut in with a sheepish smile as he looked at the woman, who was probably just a few years older than they were, __**I don't have time for this! I checked on Akito earlier! He was fine! Why does this have to happen when Momiji goes missing?**__ He wondered in frustration,_

"_Oh, that is a shame…perhaps I may be of service." A deep silken voice said, all three looking into the main grounds, where a beautiful woman with long dark hair stood in a traditional dark blue kimono with a warm wrap around her shoulders,_

"_Ren-san, good evening." Hatori greeted with a small bow, Shigure following suit behind him, and the young servant girl bowing even lower to the hauntingly beautiful woman, who walked up the steps to Hatori and Shigure, a pale hand reaching out to caress his cheek oh so gently, her smile warm and sweet as she looked at him, and Hatori couldn't help thinking how beautiful she was, even though she was around ten years his senior._

"_What is this crisis you speak of?" she asked, Hatori feeling his frustration growing again even as he found himself lost in Ren's deep dark eyes, and she seemed to pick up on his frustration, "Hatori, the quicker you speak the quicker you shall be on your way." She added with a fond look as she stared down at him, Ren being one of the few women who was actually taller than him, even if it was only by a few inches,_

"_Momiji is missing! I have to find him!" Hatori almost snapped in reply, about to say more when Ren held up a soft gentle hand to his lips, pressing her shapely body against his as she smiled at him, the curse not initiating since she wasn't fully against him, nor were her arms around him,_

"_And my son is selfishly trying to keep you from your task…that poor little boy…he could be anywhere right now…so cold, so alone, lost…you have to find him, but can you disobey you 'God'?" Ren asked softly as she looked into Hatori's dark amber eyes and saw fear mixed with blind panic as she spoke of Momiji and then a flicker of hatred and frustration as she mention Akito, "Yes, you are right to hate him." she said as she pulled her hand away from his soft lips,_

"_Um, Hatori-san, I'm sorry to interfere, but Akito-sama was quite insistent." The young woman said as she looked at the pair, knowing how Akito would react if he could see his mother now. Ren smiled and pressed herself against Hatori, her hands reaching up to his shoulders as she pressed her breasts firmly against his chest, Hatori pulling back with a jerk, not relishing the idea of being transformed, but that didn't seem to be Ren's plan as she rested her lips on his neck and sucked gently, Hatori blushing as he gently pushed her back,_

"_Ren-san!" the young servant cried in surprised and disapproval, Ren merely giving her a cold stare, __**great! How the hell do I explain this to Akito?**__ Hatori thought as he raised a hand to his neck, just knowing that there was going to be a mark left behind, he was even more horrified when Ren pulled a bottle of spray, a glass bottle of pale liquid, her perfume._

"_What are you doing?" Shigure asked in confusion as he looked between her and Hatori, who was looking mutely horrified and unable to ask the question himself. Ren smiled as she put her perfume away and looked at Shigure,_

"_You now have two choices, you can send this girl back to Akito and tell him you are too busy, or you can go to him and be thrown out for having relations with me." She replied, "I know which I'd choose if I were you." she added as she made to leave, pausing as Hatori grabbed her arm,_

"_Ren-san…thank you." he said, which was the last thing Shigure had expected to come out of his mouth, he also wasn't expecting Ren to give him the most beautiful smile he had ever seen and lean down to plant a soft lingering kiss on the younger man's lips before continuing on her way, leaving the three remaining people stunned, __**Momiji!**__ Hatori thought as he snapped back to himself, "Go back to Akito and tell him there has been an emergency, I'll be there as soon as possible I swear it!" Hatori said to the young woman, who blushed at having to lie, though as she thought about it she wasn't really lying, there was an emergency and he would be back later._

"_I will." The girl replied as she hurried down the steps, Shigure chasing after her and stopping her as they turned the corner, keeping a loose grip on her arm as he looked down at her cute face,_

"_Please don't tell Akito about Ren, it will only make his condition worse." Shigure said as he gave the girl a smile, watching her cute face blush, __**I am blessed to live in a place with such cute girls,**__ he thought,_

"_Alright, I won't, since it will make Akito-sama worse." The servant added quickly as she looked at the ground, Shigure smirking to himself, __**of course, it has nothing at all to do with the gorgeous young man who just asked you to keep quiet,**__ he added inwardly,_

"_Thank you for your cooperation." He thanked as he leaned forward and pressed a small kiss to her cheek, giving her one last handsome smile with a wink before heading off to Hatori, leaving the girl blushing furiously, __**how I love my life!**__ He thought with a sigh, "Hatori!" he called as he saw the slightly older man running down the path towards the main gate, taking off after him as fast as his legs would carry him._

"_Hurry up!" the dragon called as he approached the bushes where the secret entrance was, the entrance they had used since they were boys to sneak out of the estate while no one was looking, it was amazing that no one had blocked the sizable hold up, it wasn't as if it was hidden on the outside, surely someone had noticed it._

"_I am, I am!" Shigure insisted as he arrived at the bush just as Hatori ducked inside and squeezed through the hole that had once seemed so big, __**I'm getting too big for this…but I don't see me growing much more, if at all,**__ Hatori thought as he waited on the other side for Shigure to stumble through after him. "Right, now what?" Shigure asked as he looked up and down the street,_

"_Momiji was visiting his father, we should start there and search the area around there." Hatori replied as he took off towards the town, keeping a steady pace so that he didn't run out of breath, his smoking not slowing him down one bit, something which had amazed his class mates and the teachers during the endurance runs at school. Shigure was keeping pace beside him so far, however knowing his cousin as he did Hatori knew it wouldn't be long before Shigure tired and began to slow down, it seemed the effect on Shigure's lungs from smoking was worse than it was on Hatori's, even though Hatori was the heavier smoker of the two._

"_Sorry Haa-san-I have to-slow down." Shigure gasped breathlessly, Hatori nodding as he pulled ahead and left Shigure behind, __**I have to get there, I have to find Momiji!**__ He thought as he ran, ignoring the growing burning feeling in his chest as he ran through the streets, but even as he approached the building where Momiji's father worked there was no sign of the boy, __**I've already spoken to his father, he said Momiji left over an hour ago, and he would have called if he had come back…**__he thought as he paused at the door to the building,_

"_Hatori-san!" the middle aged man called. Hatori turned away from the building to see Momiji's father on the opposite side of the road, crossing quickly to Hatori's side, looking around deeply troubled, "Did you find him?" the man asked as he approached,_

"_No, I see you didn't either." Hatori replied as the dark haired man shook his head, looking a his watch and then scanning the streets, "Somewhere you have to be?" Hatori asked, gritting his teeth to rein in his anger at this man, __**what are you doing checking your watch at a time like this **__**you bastard?**__ He demanded inwardly,_

"_Yes, my wife and daughter will be here soon, we're going out for Momo's birthday." He replied, Hatori clenching his fists, hating the fact that he understood the dilemma, __**if he doesn't go to his daughter's birthday dinner because he's looking for Momiji his wife might start to remember something, but that's highly unlikely and this is his son! He should be more worried than this, or is it because he has another child now that he doesn't see a need to have Momiji around anymore?**__ Hatori wondered, not cold blooded enough to state his opinion out loud, "You understand of course." the older man added as Shigure appeared in the distance,_

"_Of course." Hatori replied, __**bastard!**__ He added as Shigure approached and a black car pulled up, a beautiful blonde woman stepping out of the car with a small blonde girl who seemed to be about six years old at her side,_

"_Over here dear!" Momiji's father called, the woman stopping as she headed to the building, smiling and waving to her husband, who waved back quickly, "Sorry Hatori-san, I really hope you find Momiji." He said before walking away, not looking back as Hatori glared at his back, __**what? That's it? Bastard! You don't care do you? You're not looking back, you haven't asked me to let you know when I find him; did you even go out and look?**__ Hatori wondered, half convinced that he had been out here for a cigarette as opposed to searching for his son, he hadn't looked overly concerned and he certainly wasn't out of breath, __**I wonder how much money they'd get if Momiji died…**__he wondered bitterly as he turned to Shigure,_

"_Where to next?" Shigure asked as he doubled over gasping for breath, looking up at Hatori in amazement, __**he's barely broken a sweat!**__ The dog observed, slowly straightening up and breathing deeply while Hatori looked up and down the street. There were only three ways to take, to the right, to the left where they had come from or straight ahead into town._

"_Shigure, you take the left, I'll look around the town." Hatori decided as he took off across the road, not looking back at the exhausted dog as he ran, Shigure walking down the left path. As Hatori ran he looked into the park to his right, __**I'll check here, this is just the place Momiji would go, **__Hatori thought as he turned in at the gate and found himself running across grass, "Momiji!" he shouted as he approached the swings, one of them swinging in the breeze as if someone had just been there, "Momiji?" he called, not receiving an answer as he looked around the deserted park, __**Damnit, if he was here I definitely missed him!**__ He thought as he headed out of the park and continued his way down the street, calling Momiji's names at various intervals,_

"_Hey." A young girl's voice called, Hatori gasping for breath as he looked around and saw a young girl, probably a year or so older than Momiji. Her hair was cut in a short golden bob and she wore a white medical mask across her face as Hatori often did during examinations. She was dressed in black and carried a thick metal pole resting on her shoulder, "Yeah you." she added in a rough voice, her brown eyes hard and cold, a look that did not belong in the eyes of a child,_

"_Yes?" Hatori asked as his breathing calmed down. The girl leaned on a wall and nodded in the direction she had just come from,_

"_You looking for a blonde kid with a pink body warmer?" she asked, Hatori nodding as she held up her pole and pointed it in the direction she had just come from before continuing on her way, "Go five streets, he'll be around there somewhere." She said as she walked away, Hatori hesitating a moment before taking off in the direction she had indicated, his lungs burning as he ran, counting down four streets before he heard a scream, a child's scream, __**Momiji!**__ Hatori thought as a surge of protectiveness ran through him._

"_Momiji!" he shouted as the boy stopped screaming, his heart pounding in his chest as he thought of the possibility that Momiji had stopped screaming because he had been killed, __**don't think like that! He's alive! **__He thought insistently as he looked around, heading in the direction he thought the scream came from, down a small street to the right,_

"_No! Please stop!" Momiji's voice cried in terror, Hatori pouring on the speed as he approach an alley, Momiji's sobs coming from inside the darkness, but he couldn't see what was going on, there was no light down there,_

"_Momiji?" Hatori called as he leaned on the wall gasping,_

"_Ha'ri!" Momiji cried, trying to say more but trailing off in a series of muffled cries of alarm. Hatori straightened and stepped into the alley, barely keeping his fury contained as he looked around the darkness, three figures coming into view, then a smaller one being held by one of the other three._

"_Well well well, what do we have here?" a young man's voice asked mockingly as Hatori entered the alley. He could see the figures a little more clearly as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. They were all about his own age, perhaps a little younger, and leader of the three seemed to be holding Momiji down on the ground in a position that made Hatori's blood boil. Momiji was pushed down on his stomach, his black shorts pulled down, the older man kneeling behind him with his hardened member out, obviously intending to force himself into Momiji's rear._

"_Hey, he doesn't look too happy." One of the other man laughed, this one obviously related to the leader, both of them had the same short black hair and hardened brown eyes, they seemed as if they would both be the same height and build if they were standing, and they looked almost the same, a few subtle differences separating the two. Hatori eyed the third, a man with long blonde hair in a ponytail, who looked a lot like Ritsu would if he wore men's clothes._

"_Let him go. Now." Hatori ordered, all three of them laughing as the leader leaned down and gripped Momiji's hair, his member pressing against his soft smooth buttocks, a small cry escaping the boy as his head was wrenched back. Hatori started forward furiously, finding the other two men restraining him, laughing as he struggled against them, "Stop it!" Hatori shouted as the leader slowly eased himself forward, Momiji letting out a high pitched yelp as the thick hard member pushed insistently against his entrance,_

"_Why should I?" the leader asked, nodding to the two men, who ripped Hatori's coat off, the leader's eyes travelling over the well built man, his lightly toned muscles barely visible beneath his white shirt, and with another nod the two men ripped the shirt off too._

"_You like what you see?" Hatori asked, keeping his emotions closely guarded as the two men on either side released him, knowing that they could subdue him if they needed to. The leader slowly released Momiji and pulled back, putting his member away as the small boy scrambled to his feet and ran towards Hatori, finding himself swept to the side by the blonde captor, who held his small struggling form, "I'm not too old for you am I?" Hatori asked as the leader walked towards him and gripped his chin firmly, turning his head to the side, examining the bite mark with a smirk,_

"_You have a girlfriend." His captor observed, Hatori saying nothing to agree or disagree with the statement, he didn't want to pick the wrong answer, not with Momiji's welfare at stake. "Hmm…what do you think boys?" the leader asked as he turned to his brother, who stepped forward and looked at Hatori's chest, reaching a hand forward and grabbing his crotch roughly, laughing at Hatori's blush and discomfort,_

"_I think he's good, I'd be surprised if he's had any sex before, look at him!" the young man laughed as he looked at his blonde friend, who also laughed, still keeping a firm grip on Momiji, who struggled like crazy against his grip,_

"_Ha'ri no! Let him go!" Momiji cried as tears streamed down his cheeks, the group laughing at his futile efforts and his words, the leader raising his hand to strike the young boy, finding his wrist firmly in Hatori's grasp, his amber eyes burning with fury._

"_Let the boy go, you may do with me what you will, I won't fight you." Hatori said, the leader meeting his furious amber eyes with a certain amount of fear, he could see that Hatori was only just reining in his anger, and getting rid of the boy would solve a lot of problems, but if they let him go he might squeal, "He won't tell anyone." Hatori added, as if answering the leader's thoughts._

"_Let go." The leader said as he looked at the golden haired man, who released Momiji with a shrug, the small boy running to Hatori and grabbing his leg tightly, sobbing uncontrollably as Hatori knelt down and lifted his chin gently,_

"_Momiji, you do as I say. Get out of here and run back to your father's building as fast as you can." Hatori instructed firmly, slipping his mobile out of the pocket of his discarded coat and sneaking it into Momiji's back pocket, the boy looking Hatori in the eye as he did so, crying as he wrapped his arms around Hatori's shoulders, "Call Shigure." Hatori whispered, the young boy pulling back silently, "Now go." Hatori ordered, watching the young boy run to the end of the alley, glancing back once before taking off, __**now…down to business.**__ Hatori thought as he turned back to his captors,_

"_Well, you're a man of your word I'll give you that." the leader of the group stated as he stood with his hands in his pockets, looking at Hatori as the other two moved in, the leader stepping forward and stroking his cheek, "I'm glad you decided to stay." He said in a voice so chillingly similar to Akito's that Hatori found himself unable to move as the dark haired man leaned forward and kissed him, Hatori's amber eyes widening at the gesture, the feeling itself not completely disgusting but it was unwelcome, __**I'm glad Shigure and Ayame liked experimenting like this, otherwise I'd be terrified…**__Hatori thought, remembering the many times he had had sexual relations with his cousins, not because they were gay but because they were curious and couldn't have sex with normal girls anyway. The leader seemed surprised when Hatori kissed back, sliding his tongue into the young man's mouth and tangling with his, __**come on Shigure! Hurry up!**__ Hatori thought, not particularly wanting to go all the way with the man before him, it would be unsafe; the man could have any number of diseases,_

"_Oh, this looks fun, may I join in?" a familiar voice asked from the end of the alley, not the one he had been expecting however. Hatori pulled back from the young leader to see his second younger cousin, his long grey hair flowing down his shoulders as he walked towards them with a seductive smile,_

"_Ayame?" Hatori said in disbelief as his cousin joined him, stroking his hands over his bare shoulder with a light moan, leaning close to Hatori's ear,_

"_It's been a long time since we last did this has it not?" Ayame purred, Hatori feeling the familiar shivers of anticipation as his young cousin nipped his earlobe and stroked his chest, the leader blushing as he watched the pair, Ayame soon taking his place in front of Hatori, wrapping his arms around his neck and kissing him deeply, their tongues tangling as the three captors watched, Hatori's hand coming up to run through Ayame's silver locks, "Ready?" Ayame asked, Hatori smirking and nodding,_

"_Always." He replied as he reached into Ayame's long blue coat and took out one of the large knives, hiding it with the coat as he silently took aim, pulling the large knife and throwing it hard, watching it embed itself in the shoulder of the leader, who feel to the ground with a yell, Ayame pulling another two knives and running at the leader's brother as Hatori went for the blonde, blocking the punch and kick sent his way before grabbing the young mans neck between his arms, restraining him in a head lock as he found the pressure point of his neck and pushed down, the young man falling to the ground unconscious, Ayame leaving the second brother unconscious with a broken nose, blood pouring from the wound,_

"_Wow, you didn't kill either of them…I'm impressed." Ayame said as he knelt down beside the leader and wrenched out the knife, ignoring the young man's agonised cry as fresh blood spilled from the wound, Hatori kneeling down to pull the young man into a sitting position, pulling off the black jacket and then the white T-shirt to examine the wound, the leader looking nervous as Hatori peered at his shoulder closely,_

"_He'll live, how did you know I was here?" Hatori asked as he held his hand over the man's face, a bright flash erasing all memories of Momiji, Ayame and himself from the young man's mind, repeating the act twice more on the other two before getting to his feet, Ayame already holding his coat and shirt out to him,_

"_Momiji called, he seemed in quite a state. I just happened to be in the general area so I hurried over while he went to meet Shigure." Ayame replied cheerfully as Hatori slipped into his shirt, the buttons almost all ripped off, "Oh dear, looks like I'll have to make you a new shirt." Ayame added as he looked at the state of the dirty white shirt, Hatori sighing as he pulled on his coat and walked out of the alley with Ayame,_

"_Ha'ri!" a small voice cried as they headed up the street, Hatori smiling as the young blonde boy came hurtling towards him, Shigure close behind. Hatori leaned down and swept the young boy into his arms, holding him tightly, breathing in his sweet honey scent, __**thank god he's alright, thank god!**__ Hatori thought as tears fell down his cheeks, "I thought they were going to hurt you!" Momiji cried as he sobbed on Hatori's shoulder,_

"_It's alright Momiji, I'm here…I'm here…" Hatori soothed as he rubbed the small boy's back, "It'll take more than those men to get rid of me." He added, Momiji pushing himself back to look at Hatori closely, his brown eyes still sparkling with tears,_

"_Ha'ri, promise me you'll always be here, please, don't ever leave me!" the small boy begged, Hatori looking surprised at the sudden request, __**he must have really thought I was going to die…**__Hatori thought as he pulled the small boy to his chest,_

"_I promise, I'll be here…I'll be here for a very long time." He added, knowing eventually old age would take him, but until then he had no intention of leaving Momiji, not until that day came, "Come on, let's go home…son." Hatori added with a warm smile as he hefted the young boy into his arms, completely forgetting the two men that watched him go with matching smiles,_

"_I never thought I'd see Hatori being so…caring." Ayame said thoughtfully as he and Shigure walked along behind the pair slowly, Shigure nodding his agreement as they walked in the cold evening air, the dog looking at his watch to see that it was gone midnight._


	14. Chapter 14

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

"I promised I wouldn't leave for a 'very long time.'" Hatori quoted as he lay back on the bed, unable to take his mind away from the small vulnerable boy, remembering what happened after they returned.

* * *

"_Hatori-san! Akito-sama has been waiting for you!" The oldest of the servants called as she crossed the path to block Hatori's way as he walked to his house. Hatori couldn't stand this woman, none of the zodiac could, she was Akito's personal servant, she did all of his errands and held him above all others, especially the zodiac members, who she believed existed merely for Akito, they lived and died by his wish,_

"_Sorry, I will be there as soon as I can." He replied as he walked past her with Momiji in his arms, her hand on his shoulder stopping him, her brown eyes glaring as he looked at her,_

"_You dare to defy Akito-sama? You will go now!" she replied firmly, Hatori reaching the end of his patience and pulling away, his dark amber eyes glaring at the woman, hating everything about her from her grey hair tied up in a bun to the sickeningly superior look she gave him,_

"_I said soon." Hatori replied angrily as he turned his back on her and headed up to his house, leaving the door open as he headed into the living room, the insistent old woman not leaving him as he lay Momiji's sleeping form on the sofa gently and stroke his soft golden curls,_

"_How dare you ignore Akito-sama like this!" she shrieked as she pounded Hatori's shoulder, Shigure and Ayame arrived just in time to see Hatori backhand the woman hard across the face, both men stopped speechless as they looked down at the woman who had once struck fear into their hearts,_

"_Shigure, Ayame, look after Momiji for me. I have to tend to Akito." The doctor said as he headed into his office and grabbed his medical bag from his desk, not bothering to change clothes as he hurried back out of the door, the woman walking subdued behind him, "I know the way." He added dismissively, the woman stopping in her tracks. Hatori entered the main house and stopped beside the door leading to Akito's room, knocking quietly before entering, the small figure of the young man looking over at him from the futon,_

"_Where have you been Hatori?" he demanded angrily, Hatori repressing the urge to called him a petulant child as he stepped forward and knelt before Akito dutifully, the dark haired boy glaring at him coldly,_

"_My apologies Akito, there was a situation I had to take care of, it was urgent." Hatori replied, Akito lying on his side, curled up in the covers, apparently too tired to discipline him for once. "What can I do for you?" Hatori asked as he opened his medical kit and pulled out the stethoscope, Akito looking up at him tiredly,_

"_It's hard to breath." He complained in a slightly wheezy voice as Hatori leaned over and placed the cold metal circle on the bare skin. Akito pulled open the kimono to reveal the rounded feminine breasts, Hatori blushing slightly, __**I keep forgets he's a woman…she, I meant she…**__Hatori thought as he listened to her beating, __**well, her heart beat is normal…**__he added as he put the scope away,_

"_Alright, looks like a cold…I'll prescribe the usual, but if it doesn't get any better then call me back immediately." Hatori instructed as he pulled a bottle out of his medical bag and placed it on the floor beside the bed, scribbling on a prescription sheet before closing his bag, raising his hand to his head as a dizzy spell came over him,_

"_Hatori! Are you alright?" Akito asked worriedly, a rare thing indeed. Hatori closed his eyes and took deep breaths, opening them again to find Akito's hand on his arm, an anxious look fixed to her face that made her seem very human and feminine. Hatori smiled as he lowered his hand,_

"_Yes, I'm fine." He lied, Akito examining him carefully, knowing the signs she had seen many times before and scowling at him disapprovingly,_

"_You've used your power!" she observed, her manner back to its usual cold as she leaned forward to look him in the eye, Hatori nodding in reply, not even thinking about denying it, his head snapping to the side as she slapped him across the face, "How dare you use it without my permission!" she snapped, Hatori holding up his hand,_

"_I assure you Akito, it was in the best interest of the Sohma family." He replied, another dizzy spell interrupting him before he could explain further, __**Damnit! I thought I'd be able to hold it together until I got home!**__ He thought as he fell forward, catching himself on his arm, "I'm afraid I over exerted myself." He added out loud as Akito eased him onto his back and lay him down,_

"_How many times?" she asked as she rested his head in her lap, affectionately stroking his hair, another rare display of affection she showed when the mood took her,_

"_Three in a row." He replied simply, Akito's eyes widening, she had never seem him erase so many in a row, at least not without a break in between to rest and recover his strength. Akito knew from watching that it took a lot of energy and concentration to erase someone's mind and Hatori was always left drained afterwards,_

"_You must rest then, my Hatori." She said gently as she leaned over him, catching sight of the love bite on his neck, her eyes narrowing as she traced the mark with her finger, feeling Hatori shudder at her touch, "Who has touched you?" she demanded as she traced her nail over the red mark,_

"_No one, it doesn't matter." Hatori replied evasively, wincing as Akito pressed down, scratching across the mark until a trail of blood trickled down his neck, her dark eyes glaring down at him coldly, pausing at the sound of the door sliding open,_

"_Ah, sorry, I didn't know you had company." Shigure said as he stepped into the room with a warm smile, Akito quickly pulling back from Hatori to glare at Shigure,_

"_Liar, you knew I was sick!" she accused as Shigure approached and looked down at Hatori, who smiled his thanks weakly as he slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, Akito too busy glaring at Shigure to notice,_

"_You're wrong, I was out helping Hatori, I didn't know you were sick." The dog lied as he leaned over and smiled at Akito, Hatori swearing he could see a blush forming on her cheeks, "But as soon as I heard you were ill I came running to see how you were…see how fast my heart beats?" he asked as he took one of Akito's hands and placed it on his bare chest,_

"_Hatori…leave us." Akito ordered, Hatori getting to his feet and grabbing his medical bag before leaving, leaning on the wall outside the room tiredly before returning to his home, where Ayame sat on the sofa, Momiji's head in his lap as he stroked the youth's hair gently,_

"_Momiji?" Hatori asked, the snake and the rabbit looking up in surprise, Momiji climbing off the chair and throwing himself at Hatori, who fell back against the wall in exhaustion, Ayame noting the haggard look of his friend closely,_

"_Momiji, be a little more gentle for the moment, Tori-san is very tired." Ayame said as he put a hand on the rabbit's shoulder, the small boy looking at Ayame and then Hatori, who looked extremely pale, his body seeming more fragile than usual as his dark amber eyes looked down at Momiji tiredly, his smile also showing fatigue._

"_Ha'ri! Are you alright?" Momiji asked worriedly as he gripped the older man's shirt, Hatori's hand ruffling the young boy's hair with a smile, pushing himself off the wall with a groan,_

"_I'm fine, come on, let's get you checked out." He added as he led Momiji into his office, leading him to the sofa in the corner, "Take of your clothes Momiji." He ordered, looking up at the boy's hesitancy, his expression softening, "It's alright, there's nothing to be scared of here." he soothed, Momiji nodding as he stripped, his body mostly okay. There were a few bruises and some small scratches, Momiji had gotten off lightly, __**so did I thanks to Ayame,**__ Hatori added inwardly as he closed his medical bag, seeing no need for it. "Alright, go take a shower and get changed for bed." He ordered, the young boy grabbing his clothes and running up stairs naked, Ayame entering the office with a laugh,_

"_Hatori…how long will Momiji be gone?" the snake asked as he closed the office door, Hatori lying back on the sofa tiredly, raising his arm to covers his tired eyes as Ayame's footsteps walked towards him,_

"_A while, he likes the shower." Hatori replied as he moved his arm a little to look at the familiar gleeful smile of his cousin, __**oh God not now!**__ Hatori thought with a sigh as Ayame climbed on top of him to straddle his hips, "What?" Hatori asked, already knowing his cousin's intentions,_

"_I thought we could pick up where we left off earlier…it has been a very…long…time…" Ayame purred as he leaned down and licked Hatori's cheek, the motion causing a blush to appear on Hatori's pale cheeks, __**bastard! He's going to take advantage of me! He knows I'm too weak to push him off!**__ Hatori thought as he glared at his cousin,_

"_Ayame!" he said warningly, his suspicions confirmed as the snake smirked at him and trapped his wrists up above his head, Hatori usually the stronger but now unable to pull free because of the energy he had lost, Ayame leaning down on him,_

"_You wouldn't say no to me, I know you too well." Ayame purred, satisfied as yet another blush covered Hatori's cheeks, the older man shifting to try and break free, sending them both to the floor, Hatori on top of Ayame, who flipped them over and pinned Hatori down, the dragon barely even able to move, "Nice try." The snake purred as he leaned down to Hatori's neck, kissing and biting as he leaned up to his ear, "I know how to get you hot." He whispered, moving down to nip the skin just below the earlobe, Hatori groaning helplessly beneath him._

"_What's gotten into you Ayame?" he asked as the silver haired man released him and reached down and began to slip off his coat and shirt, running his delicate fingers over Hatori's torso,_

"_I don't know what you mean." The snake replied as he slipped his own coat off, unbuttoning the white shirt he wore underneath and discarding it, his eyes widening in surprise as Hatori's hand hooked over the back of his neck and pulled him down, their chests almost touching as Hatori pushed himself up on his other arm,_

"_Don't give me that, I know you too well. Who is she?" Hatori asked, Ayame blushing at Hatori's accuracy, __**of course I figured it out, it's always been the same with us, we can't have the girl so we take out our frustrations on each other.**__ Hatori thought sympathetically as he moved the hand on Ayame's neck round to his cheek, caressing the skin gently,_

"_Her name is Mine, she's a friend I've known since college…we've just opened a shop and we're moving into the flat together, I know, I can't tell her." Ayame added as Hatori took on a stern look and opened his mouth to speak, "But she is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. Her hair is rich and dark, her eyes are a deep dark brown, her skin is like porcelain, her." Ayame exclaimed until he was cut off by Hatori's hand on his lips,_

"_I get the picture, but you know Akito will never let you live on the outside." Hatori said, Ayame laughing as he leaned his forehead on Hatori's,_

"_Is that all? He's already approved it! He has my brother for amusement, he doesn't care about me." Ayame exclaimed, "Now where were we?" he asked as he leaned down over Hatori, putting one hand over the older man's crotch, Hatori suppressing a groan as the young man leaned down and began nipping and sucking his neck,_

"_Ayame!" Hatori grunted as the younger man hit the sweet spot on his neck, one hand slowly working the belt of Hatori's trousers open, __**God, what am I doing? I'm twenty-three years old! Momiji is upstairs! But it feels so damn…**__Hatori trailed off as Ayame's hand found his hardened member, both of them looking up in horror as the door opened,_

"_My my, a party? And you didn't invite me? How rude!" Shigure mocked as he stood in the doorway and stared down at them, Hatori blushing as Ayame stoked his hardened member, the dog grinning as he shut and locked the office door, something Ayame should have done earlier,_

"_Well, why don't you play with Shigure instead?" Hatori suggested as he tried to pull away, managing to get into a sitting position before he was grabbed and restrained from behind by Shigure, who smirked as he struggled, the dog also well aware that he was weakened from using his powers earlier. "Hey! What are you doing?" Hatori demanded as Shigure locked his arms behind his back and leaned down to nip his neck,_

"_What do you think we're doing?" Shigure purred, Hatori gasping as Ayame took his hardened member into his mouth, sliding back and forth rhythmically, Shigure's grip on Hatori increasing as the dragon groaned and tried to break free, a sheen of sweat coating his forehead, his eyes squeezed shut in ecstasy,_

"_A-Ayame!" Hatori cried in warning as he came into his cousin's mouth and collapsed back onto Shigure's clothed chest, his breathing heavy and tired, "Shigure?" Hatori said questioningly as his cousin gently turned him over, "I don't think I can." Hatori began, falling forward into Shigure, unable to keep himself on his knees,_

"_You really are tired aren't you Haa-san." Shigure said sympathetically, Hatori not answering as he closed his eyes, his head resting on Shigure's lap, "No, don't fall asleep, that's no fun!" Shigure complained as he shook Hatori awake, __**damn, I'm too tired for this…**__the dragon thought as he was once again pulled into his knees, opting to brace himself down on his elbows,_

"_Alright Tori-san, I'll be gentle." Ayame assured, the older man sighing tiredly, __**it's not as if you haven't done this before…**__he thought boredly, wincing as Ayame pushed into him, biting back a hiss of pain, __**damn it really has been a long time,**__ he added as the familiar but uncomfortable sensation of Ayame's member settled in, along with the familiar stinging pain as he pulled out and pushed in, Shigure lying down to look at Hatori sympathetically, leaning forward to capture his lips, his tongue coaxing Hatori's out into his mouth, Hatori groaning as Ayame hit his sweet spot, Shigure smirking as his older cousin blushed._

"_I remember when I used to get those noises out of you." Shigure purred as he nuzzled Hatori's dark hair gently, Ayame collapsing on top of the dragon as he came, Hatori laughing a little breathlessly as he felt Ayame pull out of him, the snake quickly righting his clothes,_

"_Yeah, you did." Hatori admitted as he began pulling on his clothes once again, __**but why didn't Shigure join in? I expected him to, especially when he grabbed me from behind…**__Hatori thought curiously as the door handle turned,_

"_Good timing." Ayame muttered as he ran his fingers through his long tousled hair, Shigure opening the door and looking down at Momiji, who stood in his pink bunny pyjamas, holding a slightly worn rabbit toy,_

"_Ha'ri? Can I sleep with you tonight?" Momiji asked as he looked across at the dragon, who seemed a little breathless and tired, but he had more colour to his cheeks now than he had before Momiji had left. The dragon smiled and nodded as the dog and snake took their leave, Hatori walking them to the door,_

"_I'll get you back for this Ayame." He said quietly, smirking as he watched his younger cousin shiver in anticipation. Once he had closed the door he turned to the small blonde boy, "You go up and get into bed, I'll take a shower and be right with you okay?" he said as they walked up the stairs, Hatori turning off the lights as they went. The blonde nodded and ran to the large bedroom while Hatori went into his bathroom and pulled his clothes off, cringing as he felt Ayame's seed tricking down his legs, __**shower.**__ He thought as he stepped beneath the spary, having the unusual urge to keep scrubbing himself, which was his usual reaction to allowing himself to be seduced by his cousins, __**why do I do this to myself?**__ He sighed, knowing that they should have grown out of this by now, in fact it seemed Shigure already had, unless of course he was seeing someone else to relieve his frustrations. Once he was done with his shower he pulled on his dressing gown, which was always left in the bathroom in the mornings, and headed to the bed room,_

"_Ha'ri…what were they going to do to me?" Momiji asked quietly as he looked at Hatori over the top of his bunny, looking so helplessly innocent Hatori found it hard to answer the question as he took his pyjamas from the bed and quickly got changed,_

"_Momiji, do you have to ask that?" Hatori asked, the young boy looking at him insistently, the older man sighing, running a hand through his damp locks as he sat on the bed, "Well…we haven't even talked about sex yet." Hatori sighed as he looked at the young boy, who looked confused, "Look, we'll talk about this tomorrow okay? For now just rest, I erased their memories so they won't even remember you, they won't come after you." Hatori assured gently as he looked down at the blonde,_

"_You'll tell me tomorrow?" Momiji checked, Hatori sighing and nodding reluctantly, __**isn't he too young to know about these things? Then again if he knows he might be a little more careful…**__Hatori thought as he lay down, knowing his hair was going to make his pillow unpleasantly damp._

"_You just go to sleep Momiji, I'll be right here." Hatori replied as the small boy snuggled into Hatori's warm embrace, his hand stroking the soft golden locks as he closed his tired amber eyes,_

"_Ha'ri…thank you." Momiji said quietly, the older man seemingly already asleep, his breathing slow and steady as Momiji closed his own eyes, unable to see the small on Hatori's lips._

* * *

"What were you thinking about?" Shigure asked, smirking knowingly as Hatori looked at him with a deep blush, "Ahh, so that's what you were thinking." The dog added teasingly as Hatori regained his composure and looked away, "That was the last time if I remember correctly was it not?" Shigure asked, the dragon looking distinctly uncomfortable,

"More or less." He replied ambiguously, _well, at least I've got his mind of suicide…_Shigure thought, looking over at the door as it opened to admit Momiji, still in his school uniform, but it was barely mid afternoon, school wouldn't finish for over three hours,

"Momiji? What are you doing here?" Shigure asked, _what do you think he's doing here moron? Why ask such stupid questions?_ Shigure asked himself with a sigh, the blonde boy blushing as he looked at the floor, hovering in the doorway hesitantly, "It's alright, come in." Shigure invited with a smile, the small boy walking in and hopping up on the bed beside Hatori, who pulled against the restraints as he reached for Momiji's bandaged hand,

"Momiji! Your hand! Get me out of these things!" he snapped at Shigure, who found himself complying and un-strapping the restraints before he could think to stop himself, the dragon sitting up and grabbing the bandaged hand, both Shigure and Momiji watching quietly as Hatori expertly removed the bandage and examined the long deep cut, which was barely beginning to heal, "How did this happen?" the dragon asked as he looked around for his medical kit, _damn, just when I need it too,_ he sighed inwardly,

"You were looking for this weren't you?" Shigure said as he lifted the black bag from beside his seat, "I took the liberty of bringing it for you." the dog added innocently, _if I didn't know better I'd say he'd planned this…_Hatori thought suspiciously as he opened the bag and took out the antiseptic cream, squeezing a little onto Momiji's hand and massaging it into the cut, the blonde wincing at the sting it caused.

"It's just a little cut." Momiji replied evasively as Hatori wrapped his hand in a fresh bandage, scribbling out something on a piece of paper and handing it to Shigure,

"I want that bandage changed at least twice a day and put that on the cut, it should help the healing." Hatori said in explanation, turning back to Momiji with a stern and expectant look,

"It was just a little kitchen accident…" Momiji replied sheepishly, Hatori sighing as he lay down once more, giving Momiji a disapproving look as he did so,

"I told you not to pick up broken shards with your hands." The dragon reminded him, "I don't want you to hurt yourself, so be careful." Hatori said a little more softly, both Momiji and Shigure looking at Hatori accusingly, the dragon looking back and forth questioningly,

"You say that to me but you're allowed to hurt yourself?" Momiji asked sulkily, the dragon realising he had backed himself into a corner, _way to go Hatori, now try to get yourself out of this one,_ he thought,

"I don't have to explain myself to a fifteen year old, who should be in school right now!" Hatori snapped in frustration, regretting his words as the boy on the edge of the bed looked at him with tear filled eyes, the tears trickling down his cheeks as he blinked. Hatori sighed guiltily and reached out to wipe the tears away, but the young boy batted his hand away and hopped off the bed, running out the door, "Momiji!" Hatori shouted as he made to get up, a dizzy spell forcing him back down, _Damnit!_

"You really screwed up that time Haa-san…I'll go and talk to him." Shigure added quickly as he got to his feet and hurried after Momiji, Hatori raising a hand to his head, _that's right…my hands are free…_he thought as he looked at his medical bag, which would contain all of his medical instruments.


	15. Chapter 15

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

"I'm sure he'll be here." Tohru said confidently as she walked through the largely empty corridor of the hospital, Haru at her side. _Maybe I should have told Kyo and Yuki where we were going…_she thought guiltily as they walked, but she had been so worried about Momiji when Haru told her he was missing that she had gone off in impulse,

"Me too, I should have thought of this myself." Haru added apologetically as they looked around for Hatori's room, "Which number did the nurse say?" he asked, Tohru smiling gently as she pointed further up the corridor,

"Sixty nine B, I think it's this way." She replied as they continued down the corridor, Haru opening the door and running to the bed as fast as his legs could carry him, Tohru watching the scene with a look of horror as Haru dived for the silver scalpel that Hatori held pressed to his wrist, blood dripping from his hand as he grabbed the blade and pulled it from Hatori's grasp.

"What are you doing you idiot?" Hatori roared as he grabbed Haru's wrist and took the scalpel from his bleeding fingers, an angry scowl in his face as he examined the cuts across his fingers, "Well, lucky for you the cuts aren't that deep." He added as he reached into his bag for the roll of bandages,

"I think you're the idiot Hatori, what were you thinking?" Haru snapped, his eyes taking on a dark glare, his whole attitude changing, his back straight, his jaw firm, his gaze intense, _oh no, he's gone black! I really should have brought Kyo!_ Tohru thought worriedly as the teen reached forward and grabbed Hatori's nightshirt, pulling him forward to look him in the eye, "Don't you know how important you are? This family couldn't function without you! You've always been there for us when we needed you! Who do you think the younger Sohmas depend on? Shigure? Ayame? Do you really think those two could even come close to you?" Haru shouted angrily, his fist shaking as he held himself back, "You've always been there." Haru said quietly as he hung his head and loosened his grip, locking his dark side away.

* * *

"_What did they do to each other this time?" Hatori asked as he entered the dojo, the longhaired master smiling at him as they walked towards the two boys who sat across the room from each other, "Have they been like this for a while?" Hatori asked as he looked back and forth between the nine year old Kyo and the eight-year-old Haru,_

"_Only since they were both too injured to fight." Shishou replied as he led Hatori to Haru, who gripped his bleeding arm tightly, Hatori sighing as he knelt down and opened his bag,_

"_Alright, where does it hurt?" he asked as he looked at the small white haired boy, Haru looking up with his deep brown vacant eyes and tilting his head.__** Let me guess, black Haru just left, damned coward!**__ Hatori thought with a sigh, "You tell that damned alter-ego of yours to stop causing me trouble." He said with a smile, the young boy smiling gently as he held out his arm, wincing as Hatori stretched it out and bent it, "Alright, the elbow seems okay…and no broken bones." Hatori concluded as he felt down the boy's arm, Haru wincing at each gentle press._

"_It really hurts." Haru groaned as Hatori rubbed some disinfectant cream over the deep scratches on his arm, bandaging it gently but firmly,_

"_You probably sprained it, which is why you will be wearing this for the next few weeks." Hatori replied as he took out a large white square cloth, folding it in half before reaching round Haru's neck to tie the ends in a tight knot, gently slipping Haru's arm into the triangle it created,_

"_A sling? I can't fight with this!" Haru exclaimed as he looked at Hatori sulkily, the older man kneeling before him with a smile,_

"_Then you should have thought more carefully before you fought it out with Kyo. No fighting for a minimum of three weeks." The dragon added as he got to his feet and held a hand out to Haru, "Come on, I want to check your legs," he added as he pulled the teen to his feet, the young boy falling against his chest with a hiss,_

"_I did tell you he'd injured his leg." Shishou said as Hatori lowered Haru to the dojo floor gently, tears pricking the boy's eyes as he clutched his knee through his long black trousers,_

"_Oh dear, let's take a look." Hatori said soothingly as he turned Haru onto his back, his head resting on Hatori's knees as Shishou knelt down worriedly and rolled up his trouser leg, pulling his hand back as Haru hissed, "Okay, okay, Shishou, take my place." Hatori instructed as he switched places with Shishou, who stroked Haru's white hair gently as Hatori looked at his disjointed knee with a frown, "There's not much I can do here, we'll have to go to the hospital." He decided as Haru choked back a cry of agony where Hatori's hand touched the injury,_

"_Alright, I'll get him ready while you see to Kyo, he took a nasty bump to the head." Shishou added as he laid Haru flat on the floor and moved towards the boy's jacket and school bag while Hatori grabbed his medical bag and moved across to the young orange haired boy, who hissed at him and swiped his hand away,_

"_I don't need your help." Kyo snapped as he looked away, Hatori sighing as he knelt down beside the troublesome boy, __**not that I can't understand his point of view, when was the last time anyone volunteered to help him? Other than Shishou of course,**__ he added inwardly,_

"_I don't need your approval Kyo, just tell me where it hurts." Hatori replied tonelessly, the young boy glaring up at him distrustfully, turning to face away from the doctor, "Stop sulking." Hatori added, Kyo glaring over his shoulder, surprised to see the warm look on Hatori's face,_

"_What?" the cat asked defensively, looking at the wall ahead before glancing over his shoulder at the still staring doctor, a blush colouring Kyo's cheeks as he looked at the floor, "Well…I guess my head hurts a little…" the cat admitted, Hatori saying nothing as he ran his fingers over the boy's orange head, pausing as he felt a lump, Kyo wincing at his touch,_

"_Alright, no blood, but that's quite a lump…do you feel dizzy? Try standing up and walking towards the wall for me." Hatori instructed as Kyo got to his feet, swaying a little before catching his balance and walking to the wall and back again, "Alright…sit down and look at a spot on the wall." Hatori instructed as he took a penlight from his bag and turned it on, "Don't look at the light." He added as he shone the light into the cat's eye, the young boy pushing his hand away,_

"_What the hell is wrong with you?" Kyo snapped, Hatori sighing as he held the penlight to Kyo's eye once again,_

"_Look at the spot on the wall, not the light." Hatori instructed,_

"_How do you expect me to do that when you're shining it right in my eye?" Kyo snapped as he tried not to look at the bright glaring light. Hatori examined both of his eyes before turning off the light and putting it away,_

"_Okay, you have a bit of a concussion, so no fighting for a week or so. Any other injuries?" Hatori asked, looking down at the wrist that Kyo was clutching, a blush lighting his cheeks as he shook his head stubbornly, "Are you sure?" Hatori prompted, Kyo looking distinctly uncomfortable as the older man stared down at him, Kyo hesitating as he looked up at the dragon uncomfortably, "You know, your wrist isn't looking so good." Hatori prompted,_

"_Uh, well, I…I think I might have sprained it." Kyo replied quietly, Hatori smiling as he leaned down and took his hand, __**now we're getting somewhere,**__ he thought,_

"_Well, why don't I be the judge of that." he said as Kyo released his wrist and allowed Hatori to examine it, refusing to let any sign of pain show on his face, especially since Haru was watching from the opposite side of the room, where he was still on his back, his eyes gazing at Kyo vacantly, "You're right, it is sprained, which means you get to wear this." Hatori concluded, as he pulled a grey wrist support from his bag and slipped it onto Kyo's hand, the boy finding he couldn't bend his wrist at all, "No fighting for three or four weeks at least, I'll have to come and look at it then." Hatori said as he closed his bag, the orange haired boy looking at the support with a scowl, "Scowling at it won't heal it any faster." Hatori added, "And if you two didn't fight like cat and…like two petulant children, then this wouldn't have happened, so be careful in future." He added as he got to his feet and headed over to Haru, "Come on, I have to get you to the hospital." Hatori said gently as he reached down and pulled the ox to his feet, or foot since he could only support his weight on one leg._

"_I have his things. Kyo, I'll be back in a moment." Shishou added as he looked over at the young boy sitting on the floor. Once outside Hatori helped Haru into the passenger seat of the car gently, the boy wincing as his knee shifted,_

"_Okay, just take it easy." Hatori said as he started the car and pulled away from the dojo, breaking all the speed limits Haru could see, __**wow, he's really gunning it…is it that serious?**__ Haru wondered as he looked down at his now swollen knee. "I really wish you wouldn't provoke him." Hatori said as he turned a corner, the ox wincing as his knee shifted again,_

"_Why do you care? He's just the cat." Haru stated offhandedly as he leaned on his good elbow and looked out the window, Hatori sighing as he looked at the road ahead,_

"_Yes, he's the cat, through no fault of his own…he should be pitied above all, though with those eyes I doubt he'd want pity even if it was offered." Hatori replied thoughtfully, remembering the glare that Kyo had given him, __**it was a look that held strength; he'll grow into a fine young man given the right guidance,**__ he thought, the ox looking at him doubtfully,_

"_Hm, he's still the cat, it's his fault we're cursed." Haru insisted, Hatori giving him a stern look from the corner of his eye,_

"_If you think like that then you truly are as foolish as they say." Hatori said, Haru glaring at him dangerously, "Did I say something you dislike?" Hatori asked, unmoved by the boy's rage as black Haru broke through and clenched his fist tightly,_

"_I am not foolish!" Haru snapped, Hatori taking his eyes off the road to look at the boy,_

"_If Kyo is as guilty as the cat, then surely you are as foolish as the ox, and Yuki is as devious as the rat." Hatori replied, Haru continuing to glare until Hatori looked back to the road, "I can tell you now that there is not a devious bone in Yuki's body, just as I do not lay blame for the cat's fury on Kyo…and I don't think you're a fool." Hatori added, Haru blushing as he looked up at the older man, "You know, if you looked past the cat to see Kyo you might find you have a lot in common." The dragon added as they pulled in at the hospital._

"_You…really don't think I'm foolish?" Haru asked as Hatori helped him out of the car, the young boy already at the height of Hatori's waist, far taller than the average ten year old. Hatori smiled as he wrapped his arm around Haru's shoulder and helped him towards the hospital,_

"_No…you're just very young." Hatori replied as they walked into the hospital, a young nurse approaching them quickly with a wheelchair,_

"_Dr. Sohma, Kazuma Sohma-san called ahead, this way." She young nurse instructed as Hatori lowered Haru into the wheel chair and followed the nurse as she pushed him through to the operation room,_

"_Hatori?" Haru asked worriedly as the doctor lifted him onto the operation table, the young boy sitting up even as Hatori tried to lay him down, "What's going on?" Haru insisted fearfully,_

"_We have to operate immediately, the swelling is severe; you don't want to lose that leg do you?" Hatori asked, Haru looking horrified at the prospect, allowing Hatori to push him down on the table gently, "It's alright, I'll be here the whole time." Hatori assured with a gentle gaze, Haru nodding as he lay back._


	16. Chapter 16

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

"You operated on me then and there, you spoke to me the whole time, and when you were finished you stayed with me all night to make sure I settled down alright." Haru concluded as he looked at Hatori, "Something like that, it takes a special person to do that. All you've done since I met you was give and give and give, and you never asked for anything back, and selfish as it sounds we aren't ready to lose you yet!" He continued passionately, tears almost falling down his cheeks as he looked at Hatori's shocked expression, _did I really do that much?_ He wondered in surprise,

"He's right Hatori-san, I may not have known you as long as the others, and I'm not family, but you really are a kind person." Tohru added as she stepped further into the room, Hatori smiling warmly at her as she stood beside him,

"Not so kind as you." Hatori replied, a blush colouring Tohru's cheeks as Hatori leaned back on the bed, _but I supposed Haru has a point, who else would take my place?_ Hatori wondered, a small amount of doubt creeping into his mind over the wisdom of his suicide, but then he looked up at Tohru, _I can't do it, I can't live while she is at risk…I need Akito to reconsider…_he thought, sighing at the futility of his thoughts, remembering when he had asked permission to marry Kana, and this was far worse than Kana, Akito hated Tohru with a passion because the members of the zodiac loved her.

"Suicide is a long way to go for a little flattery Haa-san." Shigure teased as he entered the room with Momiji, looking subdued, even as Tohru smiled at him, and her smile could usually cheer anyone up. Hatori wisely put the scalpel on the bedside table before reaching out a hand for Momiji,

"I'm sorry." Hatori said as he looked at the small blonde boy, who climbed up onto the bed and allowed Hatori to hold him, the small boy still not smiling even as he breathed in Hatori's comforting scent. "Shigure…call Akito." He added, not looking at the dog as he did so, _I have to try, at least then I have done all I can…_

* * *

_What was that?_ Hatori wondered tiredly as he opened his eyes in the darkness. The afternoon had passed quickly, Momiji and other others had left and, on the condition that he wouldn't try to kill himself, Hatori had been left unrestrained but under regular observation. It seemed Akito was too ill to visit the hospital so Hatori had been spared that for the day,

"Hello?" Hatori called as he sat up and peered through the darkness, pausing as he caught sight of a familiar silhouette in the window, a delicately figured young woman with long dark hair that reached her waist and piercing eyes, "Rin?" he questioned, the young gothic girl getting to her feet and stepping into the moonlight, her arms crossed and a scowl marring her usually beautiful features,

"I thought it was a lie." She said, Hatori raising an eyebrow at her through the darkness, his eyes quickly adjusting, "I didn't think you would be so stupid! How could you do this? You know how much the zodiac rely on you!" she snapped as she approached the bed, her anger not hiding her worry,

"You don't understand, none of you do." He replied simply as he leaned back against the pillows, wondering what the time was,

"I know. It's Tohru, Akito ordered you to erase her memories." She replied, Hatori looking up at her unsurprised,

"You've been talking to Shigure again." He observed as she settled on the edge of his bed, "Well, you're right, that's exactly what happened." He replied as he closed his eyes, "I'm going to talk to Akito, but if he doesn't reconsider…" he trailed off

"Don't even think about it!" Rin snapped, Hatori opening his eyes as he felt her hand rest on his cheek gently, "You're the only one apart from Haru who has ever really looked out for me!" she said gently.

* * *

_**Where am I? What's going on? Ah! Why does everything hurt so much?**__ Rin wondered as she opened her eyes, only able to see out of one of them, panicking as all she saw was darkness, but as she tried to sit up pain shot through her body,_

"_Rin, don't move, it's alright, I'm here." Hatori's voice said, a small light coming on to show that she was in a plain hospital room, __**I hate hospitals! **__She thought, her whole body feeling drained as well as painful, "That was quite a fall you had, you're lucky, it was a two storey drop, I wasn't sure you were going to pull through, it took six hours just to stabilise you this much." He continued with a look of relief,_

"_You worked on me for six hours?" she asked in amazement as she looked at the doctor beside her, seeing him looking more drained than she ever remembered seeing him in her life, his eyes had dark circles beneath them, he was thin to the point of starved and he was pale as if he hadn't seen daylight in weeks,_

"_That was five weeks ago. I've been monitoring you since then." He replied simply as he pulled her chart out of the hold at the end of the bed, ticking things off with his pen as Rin stared at him,_

"_You mean you've been here for five weeks?" she asked, Hatori looking at her in surprise as he returned the chart and checked her IV, swapping the old bag for a new one before sitting down beside her,_

"_Of course, I couldn't just leave you, you could have woken up at any time and knowing how much you hate hospitals I didn't think you should wake up alone." He replied, Rin finding herself smiling at the doctor for the first time, she had never really appreciated Hatori before, even during the times she had been ill before she never fully appreciated the time and effort he put into taking care of her, "Now, you should eat something…I bought you some jelly." He added as he pulled a small tub from the top draw and opened it, "I'm afraid it'll be a while before you can feed yourself, but I'll take care of you until then." Hatori assured as he spooned a small amount to her mouth, Rin blushing as she opened her mouth,_

"_Lemon…that's…my favourite." She said quietly as she looked a the older man, who smiled as he spooned more of the desert into her mouth,_

"_Of course, I've known you since you were born and cared for you as your doctor since you were nine…what do you think? I made it myself." He added as she swallowed the next spoonful, pausing as looked at the yellow jelly, bits of lemon trapped inside,_

"_It's good." She replied, eating the rest of the bowl without question, her stomach feeling strange, "I don't feel so good…" she trailed off as she lay there helpless, Hatori's hand on her forehead,_

"_Don't worry, it's just your stomach getting used to eating again, you haven't eaten for five weeks remember." He said as he smiled at her assuringly, Rin scowling at the wall defensively, the look reminding Hatori of a very young Kyo, "I know, you didn't ask for my help, but I am your doctor, so you don't have a choice." He said as he guessed her next words,_

"_That's right, i don't want your help, so why don't you just butt out? I didn't ask you to save me." She snapped, Hatori smiling as he stroked her cheek gently,_

"_I'm your cousin, you don't have to ask." He replied simply, amazed at her inability to accept help when she so desperately needed it, __**just like Kyo…**__he thought as he sat back and lifted his book once more,_

"_What are you doing?" Rin demanded as she looked at him as Hatori slipped his glasses on, peering over the rims at her,_

"_You need to rest, don't worry, I'll be right here." he added as he looked down at the book, Rin still glaring as him as he read, not paying attention to her as he flipped the page,_

"_Why don't you go away?" Rin demanded, Hatori looking up at the distressed tone of her voice, seeing tears spilling down her cheek as she looked at him, "Go away! Go away like my parents!" she snapped, Hatori closing the book and leaning over to kiss her forehead gently, Rin blushing as she remembered her father doing the same thing when she went to sleep at night, __**I don't want to! I don't want to care again! **__She thought,_

"_It's okay, I won't leave, I swear it…I love you Rin." Hatori whispered soothingly, Rin looking up in surprise at that, Hatori smiling at her as lovingly as her father had, only his eyes were different, his eyes were clear and true where her father's had been clouded._

"_Don't say that! Don't lie to me!" she snapped as she turned away, blushing as Hatori leaned over her to see her face once more,_

"_I wouldn't waste my time lying Rin, I also wouldn't waste five weeks nursing someone I didn't cherish." He replied firmly, Rin looking up at him fearfully, __**he loves me, he's not lying, what do I do? What do I say?**__ She wondered as she looked up at him, "Now rest, go to sleep…I'll be right here." he assured as he stroked her cheek gently._

"_Hatori?" Rin said worriedly as she opened her eyes, "Hatori?" she called a little louder, reaching out with her hand, feeling something warm and soft, recognising it as an arm,_

"_Mmm?" Hatori groaned, Rin moving her head painfully to see Hatori leaning on the side of her bed, his head leaning on his folded arms, "Rin…are you alright?" he asked groggily as he sat up,_

"_You didn't leave." She stated, obviously shocked as he woke up and looked at her,_

"_No, I said I wasn't leaving didn't I?" he replied with a small smile, reaching out to stroke Rin's cheek as tears began to fall, "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked as he leaned down to look at her closely,_

"_I woke up and I thought I was alone again." She replied, "You didn't answer, I thought you'd left me." She cried, feeling Hatori's lips on her forehead again in that same comforting way that made her feel safe and wanted, __**just like Haru…**__she thought, __**no! Don't think about him! You can't see him again!**__ She thought as tears trickled down her cheeks, Hatori staying beside her silently, just kissing her and wiping away her tears._

* * *

"You didn't leave! You stayed with me and you took care of me! Every time I woke up, day or night, you were sitting right beside me…I wouldn't have survived without you there caring for me, and I wouldn't have wanted to if you hadn't loved me." She continued, tears almost falling down her cheeks as she leaned over her older cousin, "Please Hatori, don't abandon me now!" she pleaded, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on his forehead. Hatori lay there stunned, he had never known Rin to pour so much emotion out in one go, except that one time when he had nursed her back to health after her fall from the second floor.

"What about Tohru?" he asked as he looked up at the teen, her eyes glistening as she looked at him,

"Better to have you both alive than one of you dead." She replied simply, Hatori reaching up to stroke her cheek as he had after her operation when her cheek had been one of the only unharmed places. She leaned into his touch, her face looking so hauntingly beautiful in the moonlight, reminding him so much of Ren, _I haven't seen her in a long time…_he thought absently,

"This family needs Tohru, you know I'm right…she really may be the one to break the curse." Hatori said, Rin nodding in agreement, "How can I choose between living myself and lifting the curse for everyone else? I can't do that!" Hatori replied earnestly as he looked up at Rin,

"How can you say that? The curse won't be broken if you're not alive! We may not turn into animals anymore, but we'll still be cursed! We'll be cursed by the knowledge that you died for us! And I won't have that!" she argued, clutching his wrist tightly as she looked down into his confused amber eyes, "The curse will break on its own, without you dying!" she added firmly, _what can I possibly say to that? Is my dying really the right thing to do?_ He wondered as he looked up at Rin's pleading expression, a look that didn't belong on her face.


	17. Chapter 17

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

"Hatori-oji…" a gentle voice called, a small hand tugging the shoulder of his nightshirt. Hatori groaned softly and opened his eyes, peering at the blurry image of a small child at his side, _Rin? No…she's not a little girl anymore…_Hatori reminded himself as he blinked, his vision clearing to show a worried looking girl with slightly orange hair and golden amber eyes,

"Kisa…and Hiro, what are you two doing here? Don't you have school?" Hatori asked groggily as he pushed himself up a little, smiling softly as the small worried looking girl who stood at his side, the slightly older Hiro behind her,

"It's Saturday." Hiro replied as he looked over Kisa's shoulder, _of course it is, I wasn't thinking…I guess I haven't been doing a lot of that lately._ The dragon thought as the brown haired boy helped Kisa onto the bed beside Hatori,

"I'm sure there are plenty of other things you could be doing on a day like this…go on, go out and enjoy yourselves." Hatori said as he looked out the window to see the sky a clear blue, the sun shining brightly as birds flew through the sky, but as Hatori looked back at Kisa he saw that she was holding a yoghurt and spoon, taking a small amount of the creamy white snack and holding it out to Hatori's mouth,

"But Hatori-oji is sick, I would rather stay here and take care of you." the small girl replied with a blush, Hatori smiling and taking the spoon into his mouth, the strawberry flavour filling his senses as he swallowed,

"Thank you for your concern, but there's really no need." Hatori replied, _not when I plan on killing myself as soon as Akito refuses my request, whenever he deigns himself well enough to visit…_Hatori thought as Kisa continued to spoon the yoghurt into his mouth,

"Why? Do you see yourself as unimportant? Do you think that because we are children we shouldn't be concerned?" Hiro asked, Hatori sighing in annoyance at his condescending attitude, _remember he is still young, he'll grow out of it eventually,_ Hatori insisted to himself,

"Not at all, I just don't see a need for it, I'm fine." Hatori replied as Hiro looked at him sceptically, _why is it that everyone seems to see through me?_ He wondered with a sigh, grateful that Kisa at least seemed oblivious to his darker nature.

"But when we're sick Hatori-oji always takes care of us!" Kisa said defensively.

* * *

"_Thank you so much for coming Hatori-san, I don't know what I'd do without you!" the tall dark haired woman said gratefully as she led Hatori up the stairs of her home, pictures of a small girl with golden amber eyes lining the walls. Hatori smiled assuringly as the shorthaired woman stopped beside a door with a nameplate reading 'Kisa' screwed onto it,_

"_It's no trouble at all, it's my job." Hatori replied as she opened the door and stepped inside, the light already on in the pink room, a small girl lying curled in the large single bed in the corner of the room, a small tiger toy tucked under her slightly swollen arm._

"_Kisa…honey, Hatori-oji's here, will you say hello?" her mother asked gently as she sat on the edge of the girls bed, the small girl nodding silently as she looked up at Hatori, who approached and knelt beside the bed,_

"_Hello." She said in a small voice, Hatori smiling gently at the small girl, one of her eyes dark and swollen, her lip cut and bleeding a little and a bruise on one of her cheeks too,_

"_Kisa…I'm going to examine you and patch up your wounds okay?" Hatori said softly, the small girl nodding as she looked up at her mother uncomfortably, "Would you mind waiting downstairs?" Hatori asked, nodding to Kisa's uncomfortable face. Her mother looked down at her before nodding and gracefully getting to her feet,_

"_I'll be in the living room if you need me." She said as she closed the door behind her, Hatori turning back to Kisa as he opened his medical bag with a soft smile for the small girl,_

"_Alright, get undressed." He instructed as he watched, the small girl pulling off her tiger patterned pyjamas to reveal her small battered and bruised body. "Akito really gave you a going over…" Hatori observed as he examined her, probing her wrist gently with his fingers, the small girl wincing at his touch, __**at least it's just a sprain…no broken bones.**__ He concluded as he slipped a wrist support on, the small girl wincing at the pain,_

"_Hatori-oji…am I a bad girl?" Kisa asked sadly as she looked down at her now supported wrist, Hatori pausing in his examination of her bruised torso to look at her,_

"_Not at all, why would you say that?" he asked in concern as tears spilled over her cheeks,_

"_Akito said I was bad, he said I needed to learn my place." She cried, Hatori pulling her to his chest and holding her tightly as she cried, running his hand up and down her back gently, careful as he stroked over the dark bruises on her back,_

"_Akito was just angry, don't think on it, he probably wasn't even angry at you…you're not a bad girl." He assured as he pulled back and wiped away her tears, being very careful around her blackened eye, the small girl nodding doubtfully, "Okay, let's sort that eye out, you can get dressed now." He added as he reached into his bag and pulled out a large cotton pad and some surgical tape, the small girl slipping back into her pyjamas stiffly, holding still as he took out his penlight and checked her eyes, __**good, the retina hasn't been knocked out of place…everything looks good.**__ He thought in satisfaction as he raised the pad and taped it gently over the small girl's eye. "Okay, there's not much I can do about that lip except give you this," he added as he pulled out a small tub of balm, "Apply it three times a day and for the pain I will be prescribing these pills three times a day to be dissolved in water." He continued as he raised a small white box of pills, the small girl nodding her understanding as she opened the balm and applied some to her lips, "Okay, that's it. I'll just give these to your mother and be on my way." Hatori concluded as he closed his bag and got to his feet,_

"_Hatori-oji…" Kisa's small voice said as her small hand gripped the back of his white coat tightly, the tall man looking down at her as she stopped him,_

"_You don't want me to leave." He observed as she looked at him pleadingly, sighing as he looked at those desperate golden amber eyes, __**I never have been able to turn down the younger children when they look at me like that…**__he thought as he laid a hand on her head gently, "Alright, I'll go and give these to your mother and I'll be right back." He replied with a soft smile, Kisa smiling gratefully as she lay down on her side and watched him leave. __**Alright, I'll have to call Momiji and tell him I won't be home tonight, he'll be okay, he's thirteen nearly fourteen, that's old enough to be alone for one night, and I'm only five minutes away, he'll be fine.**__ Hatori thought as he walked down the stairs,_

"_Hatori-san! Is Kisa alright?" the middle aged woman asked as she stood anxiously in the doorway, her body relaxing as Hatori smiled at her softly,_

"_She's fine, but she'd like me to stay if that's alright?" Hatori asked as he handed her the pills, Kisa's mother looking at him in surprise,_

"_Oh Hatori-san! We couldn't possibly impose upon your generosity any longer than we already have!" she insisted humbly as the doctor walked through to the kitchen and picked up the phone,_

"_It's no bother, I'll just call Momiji and let him know." He added as he dialled, the woman bowing gratefully as he did so, not waiting long for Momiji to pick up the phone with his thick German accent, "Momiji, I won't be home tonight, I'm taking care of Kisa. If you need me just call or some over, and make sure you get to bed on time alright?" Hatori instructed, "Kisa's fine." He assured as the young boy panicked, his tone calming at Hatori's assurances. "See you tomorrow." The dragon said before hanging up the phone, "Alright, I'll be in Kisa's room if you need me, now she needs one of those pills dissolved in water three times a day and she has some lips balm, make sure she applies that three times a day too." Hatori instructed as he took one of the pills from the box he had handed the dark haired woman and poured out half a glass of water, dropping the pill into it._

"_Um, should she eat before or after the pill? Is there any rule where that's concerned?" she asked as she followed Hatori down the hall to the stairs,_

"_No, none at all. Has she eaten tonight?" he asked, the woman nodding in reply, "Alright, I'll give her this and settle her down to get some sleep then." He decided as he looked at his watch, seeing it was eight in the evening, about the time Kisa was usually in bed._

"_Thank you so much Hatori-san." The woman said gratefully with a bow,_

"_It's what I do." Hatori replied simply as he climbed the stairs to Kisa's room, where the small girl had her eyes fixed on the door, sitting up quickly as Hatori entered, "Drink this up." the doctor instructed as he handed her the glass, which Kisa took, her face scrunching up as she took a sip of the tasteless sour water, "No complaining, just drink." Hatori said lightly, watching Kisa chug down the water quickly, "Good girl, now why don't you settle down and get some sleep? I'll be right here." he assured as he sat on the edge of the bed, the small girl tugging his shirt to pull him down,_

"_I don't want to sleep alone." She said quietly, Hatori sighing as he got to his feet and removed his long white coat, leaving it neatly over her desk chair before climbing onto the bed, climbing to the half by the wall so that he was lying behind her, the small girl shifting back until her body was pressed against his firmly,_

"_Now go to sleep." He whispered gently, the small girl settling down as he laid an arm across her waist gently and watched her as she fell asleep, his eyes closing not long after._

* * *

"_What's wrong with him?" Hatori asked as he entered Hiro's room, the small brown haired boy looking up at him with a slight glare as his mother hovered behind the doctor worriedly in the doorway,_

"_Why not ask me? Do you think that because I am a child that I am incapable of speaking for myself?" the small boy croaked, his throat not allowing him to say much before he broke out in a dry and painful cough, Hatori pulling out his stethoscope as he replied,_

"_Not at all, it's just easier to ask your mother, plus with that throat I'm surprised you can say two words." He said as he pulled up the boy's top and pressed the cool metal disc to his chest, frowning at the shallow sound he could hear, the boy breaking out in another coughing fit before he could reply to the doctor's comment._

"_Is he going to be alright?" the blonde woman asked worriedly as she stroked her fairly flat stomach, her fears eased at Hatori's assuring smile, though Hiro was less than satisfied with that,_

"_Well? What is it?" the boy demanded, breaking out in yet another coughing fit,_

"_A flu…I'll prescribe a syrup for the cough and some antibiotics for the flu. You will need to take two spoonfuls of this syrup twice a day and one spoon of the antibiotics three times a day." Hatori instructed as he held up the bottles one at a time for Hiro, both he and the boy knowing that he had more common sense than his mother, lovely as she was._

"_Thank you doctor." The boy replied authoratively, Hatori hiding his smile as he packed away his instruments, the small boy looking quite impressed with himself as he put the two bottles on his dresser and looked at them,_

"_You know my number, so call me if your condition worsens." Hatori instructed as he got to his feet. Hiro looked up with a firm nod as his mother swept Hatori down the hall happily._


	18. Chapter 18

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

"Hello? Are you in there?" Hiro asked as he waved a hand in front of Hatori's face, pulling him out of his reverie, _I really prefer Hiro when he has the flu._ Hatori thought in amusement as he looked across at the younger boy, "What?" Hiro asked as Hatori smirked and leaned back against his pillow,

"Nothing." The older man replied, leaving Hiro suspicious of his thoughts and Kisa confused as she looked back and forth between the two, "Well, if you're going to stay you may as well tell me what you've been up to since we met last." Hatori decided as he opened his eyes and looked at the two children,

"Well, not much really, just school." Hiro replied boredly as he sat in the chair and crossed his legs, leaning his chin on his hand absently as he looked out of the window,

"Well, the play is coming up soon…" Kisa corrected quietly, Hiro blushing and shaking his head as he looked at her, but Hatori's interest was already peaked, especially at Hiro's reaction.

"A play? Tell me about it." Hatori ordered as he sat up a little, Hiro hanging his head as Kisa's enthusiasm peaked,

"We're putting on Sleeping Beauty! It's a Western fairy tale, and Hiro's going to play the prince!" Kisa replied; Hatori smirking as he looked at Hiro's embarrassed face, _so that's why he didn't want Kisa to say anything._ He thought as Hiro glared at him,

"Wow, the prince…that's an important role, are you sure you're up to it?" Hatori asked, thoroughly enjoying his torment of the younger boy, who glared at him with annoyed hazel eyes,

"Of course I'm up to it! Do you think that I cannot act just because I am not trained in the arts? Or perhaps it is because I'm in middle school?" Hiro replied arrogantly, Hatori sighing inwardly, _he really was better when he was ill, when is he going to grow out of this?_ Hatori wondered despairingly,

"I'll take that as a maybe…so who are you going to kiss?" Hatori asked, watching as Hiro blanched, his jaw dropping slightly, "You mean you didn't know? The prince wakes sleeping beauty with a kiss, so who's playing your princess?" Hatori continued smugly as Hiro blushed, not only because he had to kiss a girl, but because Hatori had known about it before he did,

"Um…I-I'll be…playing the princess…" Kisa replied with a deep blush, Hiro nodding in agreement, _this just gets better and better, _Hatori thought as he looked at Hiro,

"So, you finally get to kiss a girl, and she's a cute one too." He teased, the younger boy growling lightly under his breath in a very Kyo-like manner, "Kisa, how's your rehearsing going?" Hatori asked, changing the subject before Hiro changed into Kyo completely, _quite a terrifying thought,_ Hatori decided.

"Well…I don't know…I'm not very good, but teacher thought it would be good for me…" Kisa replied, Hatori nodding his understanding. It made sense in many ways to have the shyest girl in the class to take the lead role, not only would it portray the coy nature of the princess well, but it was sure to give Kisa a confidence boost.

"I'm sure you two will be great, you should help each other rehearse as much as possible so that you're ready." Hatori advised as he looked at both of the young Sohmas, who nodded in response. Kisa paused and blushed a little, a sign Hatori knew meant she had something she wanted to say,

"Hatori-oji, will you come to our play?" she asked shyly, Hiro putting his hand to his face in frustration,

"Certainly." Hatori replied, _though I doubt I'll still be around by then…_he added inwardly as Kisa beamed with a slight blush to her cheeks and Hiro sighed sulkily, "Come on Hiro, you get to prove your acting skills to me." Hatori teased, the younger boy sending him another Kyo glare, "Careful, your face might get stuck like that." The doctor added,

"What do you think I am five? Everyone knows parents just say that to tease their kids, only a moron would believe that!" Hiro snapped in reply, Kisa blushing bright red,

"Looks like Kisa didn't know that." Hatori added unnecessarily,

"Ah! I didn't mean it, really, not everyone knows that!" Hiro said quickly, Kisa smiling a little embarrassed,

"It's okay Hiro, you don't have to change your opinion because of me…" the tiger replied, leaving Hiro even more frustrated than before. Hatori held himself back from antagonising the boy further, it would be a childish thing to kick him while he was down,

"Jeez you're a real moron sometimes you know that?" Kyo's voice piped up from the doorway, where he stood with Tohru and Yuki. Hiro turned to the door and glared at the cat, gritting his teeth against a response,

"And of course you're one to talk." Yuki said as he stepped into the room and pulled his coat off to reveal his winter uniform beneath, leaving Kyo stewing in the doorway with Tohru, who was slowly calming him down, "Hatori, how are you feeling?" Yuki asked as he perched on the bed behind Kisa and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder,

"I am fine. Kisa was just telling me about the play she and Hiro will be performing in." Hatori replied, much to Hiro's humiliation, especially as Tohru hurried over to Kisa,

"Really? That's great!" she exclaimed, the smaller girl blushing as she looked up at Tohru with a bright smile, "I'm sure you'll both be really great!" Tohru added as she looked at Hiro,

"Hmph, we can't do much worse than your play." Hiro muttered, grimacing as Kyo's arm wrapped around his neck and his knuckles dug into the boy's skull painfully,

"What was that you brat?" Kyo demanded as Kisa and Tohru looked on uncomfortably and Yuki sighed in exasperation,

"Ha'ri! Ha'ri!" Momiji voice called from the doorway, the young blonde bounding in and heading for the bedside beside Kisa, Hatori smiling and laying a hand on the blonde boy's head,

"Hey." Haru's voice added from the doorway, where he leaned on the frame with his legs crossed and his hands in his pockets casually.

Hatsuharu! Hello." Tohru greeted as she looked towards the door, where Shigure and Ayame appeared,

"My my, I thought you might be here, but Kisa and Hiro too? This is an unusual gathering." Shigure said as he stepped through the door, "We were on our way over when Ayame spotted Haru and Momiji heading in the same direction, but we can't stay long, the nurse wants you to get some rest." The dog added with a smile as he looked around the room.

"I'll definitely come and see you tomorrow." Momiji promised as he looked over at Hatori, who smiled and nodded, his expression suddenly freezing as he looked towards the doorway, where Akito had just appeared behind Shigure and Ayame, who entered the room to make room for the head of the family and Kureno to enter. The younger members of the Zodiac froze, particularly Kisa, Yuki and Momiji, who felt Hatori take his hand gently, though his amber eyes fixed on Akito, who skirted the bed to stand on the other side.

"Hatori…how could you do this to me? How could you defy your God! I gave you an order! Have you truly been so corrupted?" Akito purred as he leaned over the dragon and traced his cheek lightly with his cold and frail hand, sending shivers down Hatori's back as he lay helpless in the bed.

"Akito, perhaps now is not the time." Shigure piped up from the doorway, Akito's eyes glaring up at him,

"You're on her side aren't you? You would all betray me for her! None of you understand me!" Akito snapped as he sent his glare across the group, his gaze settling on Tohru, who stared back with wide brown eyes.

"Akito, I beg you, don't ask me to erase her memory." Hatori said as he looked up at the young head of the family, who shifted his gaze to Hatori,

"You will do it!" Akito replied, his dark gaze turning more and more dangerous by the second,

"I will die first." Hatori replied firmly, Kisa and Hiro both reacting far more strongly than the rest, who already knew that attempted suicide was the reason Hatori was there in the first place. Yuki put a comforting hand on Kisa's shoulder, while Hiro sat looking mildly shocked. Akito stepped forward and looked down at Hatori with a look of rage, which he suddenly channelled at Tohru, grabbing her hair across the bed,

"You did this! This is your fault!" he shouted as he used is other hand to claw at her face. Tohru raised her hands to her head and tired to pry his fingers off as Shigure and Yuki grabbed Akito and pulled him back, "What are you doing here? You don't belong here! Get out! Get away from my family!" he shouted as he tried to grab her again. Tohru stood stunned for a moment, not really listening as he insulted her and her family, but as he mentioned her mother she did something that no Sohma had ever had the courage to do. She stepped forward and slapped him hard across the face. At this Akito's eyes widened and his jaw dropped as Yuki and Shigure released him in shock. Tohru had never been violent towards anyone, let alone the head of their family, the all-powerful God Akito.

"Shut up." She said, her voice dangerously low as she glared into his eyes, "I did not do this, and I will not admit to doing it. You may be able to get your family to take the blame for things you've done, but I will not do it! If you have a guilty conscience for something then you should face it and stop trying to force it on others!" She replied angrily, getting gasps and fearful looks from everyone in the room. Akito glared at her and then smiled evilly as he lifted her chin,

"You may have his favour for now, but I will have him blank your memory of us…perhaps I'll have him erase everything until there is just a shell left." He added thoughtfully as he tilted her head to the side.

"No…never…" Hatori hissed from the bed, his amber eyes firm and hard. Akito glared at him and leaned down beside his ear,

"You will not disobey me," he hissed, watching Hatori flinched in satisfaction.

"Akito please, he's not well right now." Shigure said from the doorway gently. Akito turned to him and nodded,

"I'll come again." He said as he left, glaring at Tohru as he passed her, Kureno not far behind. As soon as he was gone and well out of earshot Kisa ran over to Tohru and hugged her as she received admiring looks from Kyo and Haru,

"You've got more balls than any of us." Haru said approvingly,

"Uh…balls?" Tohru questioned, looking quite flustered at the prospect, turning to see Hatori beckoning to her. She hurried over and immediately found his hand gently holding her chin as he examined the bleeding scratches on her cheek,

"Ignore him Tohru…good, not too deep, no need for stitches…Hiro, pass me my medical bag." Hatori ordered, both Shigure and Ayame sharing satisfied smiles as they once again saw the Hatori they remembered. Hiro passed the bag as Hatori motioned for Tohru to sit on the bed and sat up, opening his medical bag and pulling out a bottle of antiseptic, tipping a little onto a piece of cotton wool and wiping it swiftly and gently over the bleeding scratches, using his free hand to gently support the back of Tohru's neck so that she couldn't flinch away. "Alright, hold still." He added as he pulled out a rectangular cotton pad and some surgical tape, sticking the pad to her cheek to cover the wound and keep it clean.

"Now that's the Haa-san we know and love." Ayame cried passionately as he caressed Tohru's cheek, "Yes yes, just as I remember, applied with so much care and love, it is a thing of beauty!" He declared, Yuki sighing in a manner that Hatori knew meant he was inwardly asking the usual question, _is he really my brother?_

"What are you talking about you moron? It's a bandage!" Kyo snapped, allowing Ayame to go into a speech of how Kyo lacked any sort of flair or imagination,

"Are you alright Ha'ri?" Momiji asked in concern as the dragon snapped his medical back shut and looked down at it,

"Yes…I'm better than alright." Hatori replied as he looked across at Momiji, "You should all go on home, I'll be fine now." He added meaningfully, receiving an understanding nod from Shigure,

"You heard the man, come along now." Shigure said authoratively, receiving no argument from anyone but Momiji, who tugged Hatori's sleeve worriedly, slowly letting go at the assuring smile he received.


	19. Chapter 19

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

"_Shigure! What happened?" Hatori demanded as he ran towards the door of the office, where a twenty-three-year-old Shigure stood doubled over, blood dripping from his nose and mouth as he leaned on the doorframe._

"_I…had a little run in with Akito…" Shigure replied with an attempt at a grin, which quickly turned into a grimace as he fell to the floor, Hatori going with him to lessen the impact and hold him up as his eyes went out of focus,_

"_Damnit Shigure! Stay awake!" Hatori snapped as he heaved Shigure to his feet and dragged him to his desk, knocking off the piles of reports and computer as he heaved his friend onto the desk to examine him, "Alright, where does it hurt?" he demanded as Shigure opened his eyes once again,_

"_Everywhere." Shigure replied, Hatori giving him an impatient look as he ripped open the bloodied shirt, "Alright, I think some of my ribs might be broken, my jaw hurts a lot…my heads not feeling so great either." He added as Hatori examined him, finding that he did in fact have broken ribs, five of them, and Hatori wasted no time in binding them,_

"_What did you do?" Hatori asked as he work, Shigure wincing and flinching periodically, even groaning out loud at some points, Hatori constantly hushing him for Momiji's sake. The last thing he needed was for the rabbit to come down and see this mess._

"_Akito found out about my…tryst with Ren." He replied, Hatori pausing in his work to stare at Shigure opening, "I know, I know, it's very unlike me, but I was bored, and she was there." he excused, Hatori snorting, "You don't believe me." the dog observed as Hatori finished him binding,_

"_Of course not, that's not like you at all, especially where Akito is concerned." Hatori replied as he tied off the bandage and moved to examine the head injury, which must have been caused by something fairly heavy, but lucking the skull seemed to be intact, there was just a cut in the skin, which needed stitches, "My guess is that you got jealous and decided to get a little revenge." The doctor added as he deftly threaded a needle ready to work, Shigure eyeing him warily,_

"_Jealous? Me?" Shigure evaded,_

"_Yes. Akito is obviously sleeping with Kureno, why else would she keep him so close?" Hatori replied matter-of-factly as he stepped up to Shigure and eyed the bleeding cut at the corner of his forehead before carefully starting to sew up the wound._

"_Ouch! Alright! I admit it! I was jealous! Ah! Don't sew so…painfully!" Shigure moaned as he scrunched one eye shut and tried his best not to jerk away. Hatori continued his work, trying to be as gentle as possible,_

"_So, what happens now?" the dragon asked as he looked down at his friend's battered and bruised face, a cut on his lip still bleeding, though it seemed his nose had stopped, and it wasn't broken._

"_I've been banished from the Sohma estate…I'm to leave as soon as possible." Shigure replied regretfully, "I never thought she'd be so harsh as to send me from her side." He added as he looked at blank space on the wall, his expression sadder than any that Hatori had seen on his friend's face before._

"_Hey, she'll let you back one day, and if I know her well enough, she'll call you to her room in a few days and let you return on visiting terms." Hatori assured, Shigure looking up at his friend hopefully, but also a little disturbed,_

"_You know Akito very well." Shigure said curiously, pulling back with a hiss as Hatori dabbed his swollen lip with some disinfectant,_

"_As her doctor, and one of the few in her confidence about her sexuality I have picked up a lot of her personality and habits, especially her feelings towards certain members of the zodiac, including you." Hatori replied in explanation, the expression not leaving Shigure's sleep, "Shigure please, you know what happened with Kana." Hatori added, Shigure nodding, his expression immediately changing to a sheepish grin,_

"_Sorry…I know it was foolish of me to suspect…" he trailed off, Hatori nodding his understanding._

"_Don't think about it…come on, you can stay in my room." The dragon decided as he stepped back and allowed Shigure to get to his feet, holding his arm out to support his friend if he needed it._

"_It's been a while since I got tat invitation." Shigure joked as he slowly made his way to the stairs, Hatori close behind,_

"_You know that's not what I meant. I'll stay in Momiji's room, the guest room isn't set up." Hatori replied, sending a glare Shigure's way, "Don't even joke!" he warned, knowing Shigure was just waiting to let out an inappropriate joke._

"_Of course not!" The dog insisted as if he was insulted at the mere thought that he would say such a thing. Hatori led the way to his bedroom and pushed the door open, turning down the bed so that Shigure could lie down, groaning as he did so,_

"_If you need anything I'll be down the hall." Hatori said as he headed for the door, the dog nodding in response as he tried to settle down, his ribs throbbing painfully, _

"_Uh! Hatori, before you go…do you have any pain killers?" Shigure asked, the dragon nodding as he headed to his chest of drawers, pulling out a small pot of pills and handing two of them to Shigure, who swallowed the immediately._

"_See you in the morning." Hatori tried again as he headed for the door,_

"_Good night, and Tori…thank you." Shigure replied gratefully,_

"_It's what I do." Hatori sighed as he closed the door and headed for Momiji's room._

* * *

"Hey, I hear you had a visitor today." Rin's voice greeted, pulling Hatori out of his dream, _well, I haven't dreamed about that in a while…in fact a lot of memories seem to be coming back at the moment…_Hatori thought off handedly as he looked across at the window, where Rin was sitting on the sill framed by moonlight.

"I had a lot of visitors, but I assume you're talking about Akito…yes, he came." Hatori replied, the younger teen looking across at him, the moonlight once again framing her face, giving her an ethereal beauty that only she and Ren possessed.

"I also heard you refused his orders…it's going around the main house like a raging fire, the hospital too." She added as she looked over at Hatori, "So I take this to mean you've made your choice?" Rin said questioningly as she got to her feet and made her way over to him,

"Yes…I have to stand up for myself…I can't abandon this family yet either." He replied, Rin nodding in agreement and giving him one of those rare smiles she reserved for the more privileged members of the family.

"I'm glad you finally realised that." Rin said as she stroked his cheek gently, "You should rest, I'll be back tomorrow." She added as she got up and returned to the window, remaining there until Hatori closed his eyes to try to sleep, but when he opened them again she was gone.

* * *

"_Hey Ha'ri, that lady's here again!" Momiji called as he ran into the office, the dragon looking up from his report tiredly, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes._

"_Which lady?" he asked tiredly as the small blonde bounded over and insisted he be allowed up on Hatori's lap. As the rabbit settled Hatori heard another light step in the hall and looked over at the office door to see Kana standing there,_

"_How many other ladies have come to visit?" Momiji asked innocently as he looked up at his guardian's surprised face,_

"_Kana…I wasn't expecting to see you today." Hatori said in surprise, completely missing what Momiji had just said as he looked at Kana, her short brown hair neatly combed, her blue eyes bright as ever, her whole being bursting with energy,_

"_I know, but since it's our day off I thought we could do something together." She said as she made her way over, taking note of Momiji's disgruntled expression and ruffling his blonde hair playfully, "All three of us." She added,_

"_I have a lot of work to do." Hatori insisted, both Momiji and Kana giving him their own unique pleading looks, Momiji with wide puppy eyes and Kana with a sulky stubborn expression. "I…suppose I could take a break for a few hours…" Hatori conceded, both Momiji and Kana breaking out into smiles._

"_Great! Momiji, why don't you go and put some warmer clothes on? It's warm, but the breeze is a little chilly." Kana suggested, Momiji hopping down obediently and hurrying up the stairs. Hatori smiled as he got to his feet and touched her arm lightly, unable to do much more because of the curse,_

"_You're really great you know that? I don't know what I'd do without you." he said as he leaned over and touched his forehead to hers lightly, smiling as she blushed at his words,_

"_You don't mean that…" she insisted in embarrassment with a small laugh, which was abruptly cut short as Hatori's lips crushed against hers, her surprised blue orbs closing as she opened her mouth to allow him access, her hands rising to his chest to grip the front of his white lab coat while one of his hands rose to her neck, tilting her head slightly to a better angle. Her lips were so warm and giving, her mouth so warm, her tongue caressing his in just the right way sending shivers of anticipation down his spine._

"_Hey! Can I join in? What are you playing?" Momiji asked, Hatori and Kana breaking apart with twin blushing as the small boy entered, oblivious to exactly what he had just walked in on, "What?" the small boy asked in confusion as both Kana and Hatori began laughing._

* * *

"_Hatori…may I come in?" Shigure asked as the dragon looked through his office door at the dog and snake, who wore twin expressions of worry. Shigure had never seen Hatori like this, he looked like he hadn't slept in days, he was unshaven, dirty, it didn't even seem he had changed his clothes since it had happened, and there was a strong smell of smoke and alcohol. Finally Hatori stepped back and allowed his friends to enter,_

"_Ha-san! This is horrible!" Ayame exclaimed as he looked around at all the empty bottles of spirits and cigarette ends, along with the ash, littered the floor. Hatori returned to his desk, where there was a half full bottle of whiskey, which he took a deep gulp from,_

"_I know you've had a hard time these few days, I can't even imagine what it must have been like to erase Kana' memory, but you can't go on like this!" Shigure snapped as he took the bottle from his friend and put it back on the desk, the dragon glaring at him drunkenly, "Look at yourself! You're completely out of it! When was the last time you ate? Or slept? Or…where's Momiji?" Shigure asked suddenly as he turned to the open office door, Ayame's eyes almost as wide as Hatori's._

"_Momiji!" Hatori cried frantically as he took off towards the door, staggering slightly from the amount of alcohol, but not allowing it to affect him or distract him from his current mission._

"_Careful!" Ayame shouted as Hatori stumbled up the stairs and disappeared from sight. The dragon didn't even slow down as he threw Momiji's door open and looked around desperately for the small boy, who he found lying in his bed sleeping soundly,_

"_Momiji! Momiji!" Hatori cried as he shook the boy awake worriedly, the boy looking up at him in confusion and alarm, "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Oh God I'm sorry! I am so sorry!" Hatori cried as tears streaked down his cheeks, his eyes looking for any sign that Momiji was hurt or unhealthy, but he looked absolutely fine,_

"_I understand." Momiji said gently as he took Hatori's hands and looked up at him with a smile, which was the last thing Hatori had expected from the young rabbit. Hatori leaned his forehead on Momiji and left his tears fall down his cheeks,_

"_I don't deserve your understanding, I promised to take care of you!" Hatori replied, not noticing Ayame and Shigure standing in the doorway smiling,_

"_Actually I've been coming over to make sure he's fed and take care of him, Shigure too." Ayame confessed, holding up a hand as the dragon turned ready to beat him into a pulp, "Now Ha-san, you don't really mean to tell me you're angry that Shigure and I took care of Momiji when you were in need do you?" he added,_

"_No! I'm thinking of beating you into a pulp for making me worry like that!" Hatori snapped in reply as he clutched the front of Ayame's red coat, quite prepared to take his frustrations out on the snake._

"_Tori, you know if we hadn't done something you would have stayed down there wallowing in self pity, and at least it was a false alarm and Momiji is absolutely fine. Think about it, what would you have done, how would you have felt if Momiji was ill from your neglect?" Shigure asked, sighing in relief as he released Ayame and leaned his head on the snake's chest,_

"_I'd feel…worse the terrible." Hatori replied simply,_

"_That's right…now go clean up! You're a disgrace to humanity!" Shigure teased, smiling as Hatori pulled away from Ayame's chest with a nod,_

"_Okay…I'll go take a shower." He replied as he headed for the door. Once he was gone the rabbit hopped down from his bed and went over to Ayame, tugging the tail of his red coat lightly so that the snake's amber eyes looked down at him,_

"_Will Ha'ri be okay now?" he asked in concern, his gaze shifting to Shigure as the dog's hand rested lightly on his head,_

"_Thanks to you he will be…just give it time." Shigure assured with a smile, the small boy nodding his agreement._

* * *

"Kana!" Hatori cried as he sat upright in the bed and looked around frantically until he realised where he was and remembered how long ago the events of his dreams had played out. He raised a hand to his face and wiped away the tears that had fallen in his sleep, the choked up feeling of his tears still stuck in his throat.

"You still dream about that woman…how pathetic." Akito's voice cut in as Hatori was about to break down and cry again, but at the sound of her voice he froze. Even Kureno was absent, which sent alarm bells ringing as Akito climbed onto the edge of the bed and looked own at him sweetly, "You've been very bad Hatori, you have disobeyed your God…but I am merciful, and I am willing to forgive your transgressions against me if you carry out your orders. Get rid of her! Get rid of Tohru Honda!" she ordered harshly, her eyes blazing with hate.

"I can't do that…my job as doctor is to do what is best for this family…and Tohru is good for the health of the family." Hatori replied firmly, staying calm on the outside, but on the inside he was terrified, especially as that sweet smile grew even sweeter,

"But Hatori, how can you go against your God? You are of the zodiac, the zodiac were made to serve me!" Akito spat, his expression turning from sweet to furious as he grabbed the front of Hatori's nightshirt and glared at him,

"My my, the mighty God Akito has finally met his match." A rich, deep voice said from the doorway, the ethereal quality already telling Hatori that it was Ren standing there.

"You! What are you doing here? The members of the zodiac are mine! They belong to me! You can't have them!" Akito shouted frantically, Ren laughing out loud at her daughter's paranoid behaviour,

"My dear son, I am just here to visit…an old friend." Ren replied as she glided into the room, her flowing blue dress making it seem almost as if she were floating, her grace over shadowing Akito and calming Hatori immediately, "Hatori, how are you feeling?" Ren asked as she approached the bedside, ignoring her fuming daughter completely,

"I am well enough, it is good to see you Ren." Hatori replied, drawing Akito's glare, her anger settling more and more as Ren stroked Hatori's cheek and sat on the bed beside him,

"I knew my son would drive the zodiac to this sooner or later, but I hardly expected it to be you to crack first." Ren soothed, her presence making Hatori relaxed, even though Akito's anger was now approaching its height, "My poor, poor Hatori." Ren sighed, looking over her shoulder coldly as Akito grabbed her arm roughly,

"He's not yours! He's mine! He belongs to me!" Akito screamed, her breaths becoming raspy and irregular, Ren's eyes looking at her in disinterest as she fell to the floor gasping for breath, the door bursting open to reveal Kureno, who stooped to Akito's side before hurriedly carrying her away, leaving just Ren and Hatori,

"Thank you for visiting me today." Hatori said as he looked at Ren, who turned back to Hatori with a soft gaze.

"You need not thank me, just remember your life belongs to you alone…it is a lesson the zodiac needs to learn if they are ever to be free." She replied, Hatori nodding in agreement,

"I know…we are learning…slowly." He added certainly as he looked across at her beautiful smiling face.


	20. Chapter 20

DISCLAIMER - see chapter one

* * *

"Honda-san? May I come in?" Yuki called softly as he tapped on her bedroom door, waiting worriedly for an answer. He was dressed in a white silk shirt and blue slacks, his light silver hair neatly combed as always,

"Yes?" Tohru called questioningly in reply. As he opened the door he saw Tohru sitting at her vanity table just tying in the yellow ribbon he had given her, while Kyo lounged on her bed flicking through a magazine,

"Oh, I didn't know you had company." Yuki said apologetically as he stepped inside with a forced smile, _just what is he doing here anyway?_Yuki wondered, not feeling the surge of jealousy he had originally felt, somehow since he had become president of the school council he didn't mind so much, especially since his feelings for Tohru had been resolved,

"Yuki! I was just going to make breakfast, sorry I got up late!" Tohru apologised as she got to her feet, almost tripping over her own feet as she did so, Kyo looking up from his magazine with a soft expression, which quickly disappeared as he remembered who was in the doorway,

"Oh no, please Honda-san! I wasn't here for that, I just wanted to see how you were feeling…you've been quiet since yesterday." Yuki replied quickly, Tohru blushing as she remembered what had happened at the hospital,

"He's right you know." Kyo added from the bed, Tohru's gaze shifting to him as he closed the magazine and sat up, his dark eyes tinged with worry,

"Well, I didn't…I really didn't…I can't believe I did that! I've never hit anyone before! But he was just so rude! He kept shouting and shouting and I just wanted him to stop! And what he said about Mum…it would have really hurt her feelings…" Tohru trailed off, her hands shaking slightly until she felt a warm hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Kyo looking down at her with a smile,

"It's okay, somehow seeing you like that makes you seem more…human." He said, Tohru blushing in confusion as she looked up at him, "What I mean is that so far you've been so calm and nice, you never stood up for yourself, it was like you were too good to be true, but now we know you're just as human as the rest of us." He explained, looking away as his cheeks flushed a little,

"Kyo…thank you." Tohru said with a bright smile as she looked up at him,

"What? I didn't do anything!" Kyo insisted as he walked to the door, pausing for a second as he drew level with Yuki, but all he did was walk past, _he really is changing…but then so am I._Yuki thought as he watched the cat walk out of sight,

"Yuki?" Tohru asked uncertainly, the silver haired boy turning back to her with a warm smile, "Are you alright?" she asked in concern,

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine, come on, let's go and make some breakfast." Yuki replied in his usual gentle voice,

"Oh! Of course!" Tohru replied as she hurried out into the hall with Yuki and walked down the stairs, both of them unaware of the hazel eyes watching from down the hall. Shigure stepped out of his bedroom with his manuscript, looking down at the unfinished work,

"I wonder how this story is going to end…I can already feel it coming to a close somehow…" he thought aloud as he pushed the thought aside and followed the others downstairs, where he could see them, his family, sitting around the table. Kyo with one knee bent, the other leg stretched out in front of him as he leaned back on his hands while Yuki sat cross legged at the table leaning his chin on one slender hand, while Tohru stood at the low table ready to head into the kitchen,

"Oh, Shigure-san! I'm sorry breakfast isn't ready, what would you like?" she asked as she looked across at him as he reached the doorway, where he paused thoughtfully as he made his way through,

"Well, I really don't know, whatever you make Tohru I'm sure it will be delicious." The dog replied as he sat down with his manuscript, pulling the neck of his kimono across his chest a little more as he looked at the pages,

"Is that your latest manuscript?" Tohru asked as she looked down at the papers, Shigure smiling as he put on his glasses and looked up at her,

"Yes, but I seem to have reached a dead end…I'm sure more of the plot will soon unfold." He added as he stacked the pile neatly and put it to one side, knowing that neither of the boys were interested enough in his work to peek and that Tohru would consider reading his notes a gross breach of privacy. _Yes, the plot will definitely unfold…_

* * *

"_Do you really think you can stand up to a God Hatori?" Akito demanded as she walked past Hatori in the darkness, her white flowing kimono falling off her shoulders as usual, her eyes cold and hard as she looked at him,_

"_I-I don't…" Hatori trailed off as she faded back into the darkness,_

"_You can Hatori, don't let him control you! You have to stand on your own!" Ren encouraged as she stepped out of the darkness and walked by, pausing as she reached him to stroke his cheek before carrying on,_

"_Don't listen to her! She's not one of us! She doesn't understand our bond!" Akito snapped as she reappeared and put her arms over his shoulders from behind, her voice a harsh hiss in his ear,_

"_It is Akito you should shut out after all he's done to you! You could have married Kana, but because of Akito…" Ren trailed off meaningfully as she appeared in front of Hatori and took his face in her hands gently,_

"_You should never betray your God!" Akito whispered, her arms wrapping firmly around his shoulders as Ren pressed herself to his chest, her head leaning on the other side of his head,_

"_You should never betray yourself." She countered, __**what am I supposed to do? I can't go against what I believe, but can I truly disobey the word of my God?**__Hatori wondered, his mind torn in two, "The answer to your problem is simple…you know the consequences of your choice. Do as Akito says and you damn the zodiac, but follow your own instincts and you only risk Akito's displeasure…is there really any other choice?" Ren purred as she stroked his cheek and turned him to face her, her dark eyes strangely warm as she looked up at him, "You have suffered for far too long…isn't it time you were set free?" she asked. Hatori smiled and laid his hand over hers, __**she's right…we can't go on like this…I don't know how the curse will break, but I just know Tohru has something to do with it…I can't risk the curse never being cured, it wouldn't be fair to the others…**__Hatori thought, the vision of Akito fading away to nothing, though Ren remained, her arms around Hatori's neck and her head resting on his shoulder, "So now you know what you must do." Ren stated as she looked up at him,_

"_Yes…I once again find myself in your debt." Hatori replied with a smile,_

"_You owe me no such debt." Ren replied before fading away into the darkness, leaving Hatori in a shroud of black._

* * *

"Ah, so you're awake." Shigure's voice greeted as Hatori opened his eyes, holding his hand over them to shield them from the harsh sunlight steaming through his window, "Yes, it is a lovely day isn't it." The dog added as he watched Hatori's reaction in amusement, _it was…a dream?_Hatori thought disorientated as he got his bearings,

"Ugh…shut up…it's too early for this…" Hatori groaned as he rubbed his faced and took his hand away, looking at Shigure with bleary eyes as she slowly sat up. "What did you come here for anyway?" he asked as he woke up a little, grateful for the cup of coffee that suddenly appeared before him, "Thank you Ayame." He said, noticing the snake for the first time,

"It was no bother Haa-san." The silver haired man replied as he sat in the chair at Hatori's side and crossed his legs elegantly, wearing dark blue trousers with a long coat that matched today, none of his usual colour and flair.

"We just dropped by to see how you were…" Shigure replied simple, looking up at Hatori as he did so. He may have tried to sound casual about it, but Shigure could tell that they were concerned about him, the thought making him smile slightly as he raised his cup,

"I'm fine." He replied to the question they refused to ask, "Really…I'm okay." He added as he looked at his two friends, who were exchanging one of their unsure glances.

"Well, we had to make sure…we know how you feel about Akito." Shigure said as he sat on the edge of the bed facing the window, Ayame nodding in agreement, all of them thinking back to Kana and the day Akito had hurt Hatori's eye,

"I won't forget that day…I'll never be completely secure around Akito, but I'm not afraid of her…I suppose I've seen her in too many moods to fear her…I've seen her sad, desperate, weak, foolish and many more. Her anger can be severe, don't get me wrong, but I don't fear her, not now." Hatori explained as he looked into the dark coffee to see himself, his bad eye covered by his fringe while his good eye stared back.

"I agree, but then I've never really feared her." Shigure replied thoughtfully, Hatori smirking in reply,

"The games you play with her I'm not surprised." He retorted as he sipped his coffee, Ayame raising an eyebrow, but saying nothing.

"She'll probably come back soon you know…will your answer be any different when she does?" Shigure asked curiously, though Hatori knew Shigure could read him like a book and already knew the answer,

"No, that's one thing I won't do, even for my God." Hatori replied firmly, Shigure nodding his understanding while Ayame smiled and leaned back in the chair looking off into space as he often did until his mobile rang,

"Yes…Mine! An order? Really? Oh yes, yes of course…I'll be right there, you know what to do." He said flamboyantly into the phone, barely giving Mine a chance to speak on the other end before hanging up and getting to his feet, "Well, you know me, busy-busy-busy, work-work-work, I simply must go, can't let Mine do all the work, ciao Haa-san, I'll be back soon, Shigure." Ayame continued in a smooth string, giving neither of his friends a chance to speak,

"He's certainly full of energy today." Shigure sighed as he looked at the now closed door that Ayame had just glided through, Hatori nodding in agreement as he finished off his coffee and placed the empty cup on the side table. "It shouldn't be too long before you're out of here you know." Shigure said as he looked at his friend,

"I know, the stitches are healed enough, I've regained my strength, all they have to do now is assess my mental state." Hatori replied, Shigure nodding in agreement,

"Well, the fact that you haven't tried to kill yourself for the past few days works in your favour." Shigureadded, "To what I was going to say though…how about you come and stay over for a few days once you're out? It will give Akito some time to calm down and hopefully let the matter drop." He suggested, Hatori laughing humourlessly in return,

"You an I both know this isn't the sort of thing Akito will drop." Hatori objected, lying back a little frustrated while Shigure nodded his agreement,

"I know, I just hoped I might take you mind off it for a little while, but if you insist on being stubborn then you can go back to yours, have Akito summon you every hour of the day and generally suffer her displeasure." Shigure joked getting another smile for his efforts,

"Alright, I get your point. I'll stay over." Hatori conceded, seeing Shigure smile triumphantly at the window, "Where's Momiji been staying these past few days?" Hatori asked, knowing that he had stayed with Shigure some of the time he had been hospitalised,

"Oh, here and there. Everyone was happy to help, and no one thought he should be on his own. I believe he's stayed with just about everyone, my house, Kagura's, Ayame's, Haru's, Hiro's, Kisa's and Shishou's too, I believe he's feeling a little spoiled with everyone paying so much attention to him." Shigure replied with a grin as he counted off the names. Hatori had known Rin, Ritsu and Kureno wouldn't be on that list, Ritsu lived far away at the hot springs and only returned for New Year usually and Kureno was always by Akito's side, and Hatori was glad Akito mostly ignored Momiji and hadn't thought to take him in. As for Rin, they didn't know where she was living at the moment, her parents had deserted her years ago, she wasn't on speaking terms with Haru and though she was supposed to be living at Kagura's house she hadn't shown up in months, she also hadn't been at Shishou's, but at least Hatori knew she alright, she had appeared in his room most nights, never saying more than a few words, but she was there. _I really should ask her where's she's staying and have her at least go over to Kagura's, I'm sure she and her mother are both very worried…_Hatori thought, wondering if he would see her when he fell asleep that night.

"Ha'ri!" A boisterous voice called as the door flew open and the rabbit rushed in, jumping up onto the bed beside Hatori, _I'm glad I finished that coffee,_Hatori thought, imagining what a disaster it would have been if the rabbit had knocked the hot liquid all over the bed, though it would have amused Shigure greatly he imagined. "I heard you were coming home soon? You are right?" Momiji asked excitedly as he looked at his guardian with bright eyes,

"That's right, I'll be going to Shigure's house for a few days before returning to the estate though." He replied, the blonde nodding his approval with a bright smile as he crossed his legs, wearing some pink shorts and a white shirt with a pink beret styled hat, his cheeks a little rosy from the cold outside,

"I'll go home and start getting the house ready for your return then!" Momiji decided brightly, Hatori's eyes widening as he thought of Akito,

"No!" he snapped, both Momiji and Shigure looking at him with shocked expressions, "Momiji, I don't want you to go anywhere near that house until I move back there…come and stay at Shigure's with me, I'd rather have you there." Hatori decided, the small blonde boy looking across at Shigure nervously, who smile and nodded,

"Alright then, I'll go back to Shishou's and pack my stuff!" Momiji decided, Hatori smiling and nodding as the small boy hopped down from the bed and hurried towards the door, "I can come and visit you later right?" he asked with a smile,

"Of course." Hatori replied, receiving a bright smile in return before the rabbit left, Shigure facing the closed door, though his eyes had shifted to the dragon,

"That was probably a smart move, I know what Akito's like when she's in one of her tempers, especially the slow brewing ones." Shigure complimented, Hatori nodding in reply,

"I just couldn't risk her realising how attached I am to Momiji, if anything happened to him I don't know what I'd do, especially if it was all my fault." Hatori explained, Shigure comprehending the situation completely,

"We still can't bring ourselves to blame Akito…" Shigure thought aloud,

"I know, we really are pathetic creatures." Hatori replied with a grim smile.


End file.
